


The Garden of Love

by whisperingopal



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergent, Depression, Eventual Sex, F/M, Fluffy Angst, NSFW, Reader-Insert, Romance, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-24
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-03-13 09:23:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 17
Words: 38,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18938074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whisperingopal/pseuds/whisperingopal
Summary: ‘Some kind of demonic tree had begun to sprout, its twisted and gnarly roots tearing Red Grave City apart from the ground up.  To make matters worse, demons flooded the city streets; their violence swift and indiscriminate.  Now, here you were stuck in the middle of it all.Not your finest hour. ‘





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Set between May 15th - June 15th: before the main events of the game but after the novel. I had most of my ideas before the manga started so be aware that many things don’t line up there, I apologize.
> 
> I just wanted to give a warning saying that this is my first fan fiction and I am definitely not a writer so I wouldn’t expect much from this. Hahaha. Grammar and spelling issues are abound and I apologize for that. This work is completely self-indulgent fan service.

When you first saw the posts on social media, you waved it off as a hoax. It was ridiculous; couldn’t possibly be true. Even as the first news reports started rolling in you were half convinced that some sort of “The War of the Worlds” type of misunderstanding was going on.By the time the first thunderous quakes began to erupt, you had hardly a shadow of a doubt.Some kind of demonic tree had begun to sprout, its twisted and gnarly roots tearing Red Grave City apart from the ground up.To make matters worse, demons flooded the city streets; their violence swift and indiscriminate.Now, here you were stuck in the middle of it all. 

Not your finest hour.

Your body seemed to act without your mind’s consent as you raced around your small second floor apartment stuffing an old knapsack with supplies.You filled up some water bottles under the thankfully still working tap, heart pounding in your ears all the while.Your meager preparations finished, you turned now to look for a weapon,  _ any  _ kind of weapon.You knew without looking that knives would be out of the question— unless a demon needed you to butter their bread.You found yourself cursing the fact you never got into cooking.There was only one thing that could possibly help you, and as you dug it out of your closet it only solidified the thought that, on a scale of one to ten on how fucked you were, you were surely an eleven.Eventually, you found it; a tennis racket.You chuckled morosely.

 “I am  _ so  _ dead.”

Without a moment to lose, you exited the closet, racket in hand, and started towards your front door.Your efforts were cut short ,however, by another round of quakes stronger and closer than ever before, stunning you in your tracks. Your apartment walls trembled, the windows rattled and the very ceiling began to crumble as the entire building shook on its foundation.Without ceremony a monstrous root burst out of the wall adjacent to your door, a cloud of dust and destruction following in its wake.

If the roots looked bad from afar, they were even worse up close; at least twelve feet long, twisted and barbed, pulsing with blood like an enormous vein. It writhed around, very much alive, and ended with a very sharp looking lance easily twice the length of your arm.You had no choice but to get passed it if you wanted to escape and ,consequently, live. 

“Well,  fuck. ”

You took several strides back in order to assess the situation.Facing the demonic root, the door was to your right. Your bag was safely secure on your back, you wouldn’t drop it nor would it be a hinderance to you. You gripped your racket, doubtfully trying out a few test swings.All the while the demon rootlunged towards you but thankfully it was like a dog on a leash.Its movements were a little clumsy but it was fast— oh  was it fast—and you weren’t exactly renowned for your athleticism.You let out a shaky breath. You had no choice.

 “It’s now or never I suppose.”

Brandishing your racket, you lured the root to the left, keeping enough distance so when it attacked, you were just out of range. Taking advantage of the plant’s momentary lapse, you made a dash to the right, towards the door.The demon root was quick, however, and already winding up like a viper about to strike.Not a moment too soon, you turned left on the ball of your foot and managed to parry the root’s blow with the side of your racket, but just barely.The clash of titanium upon the otherworldly metal of the root’s lance sent intense, rippling vibrations throughout your arms and shoulders and it took all that you had to not drop the racket. 

“Fuck! Shit! Shi-“

The root was already rebounding from your feeble attack and before you had a chance to make your next move, it swung its mighty body at you, its trunk connecting a blow to your abdomen that left you breathless and hurtling to the far side of your apartment. 

 The back of your head collided with the wall and then all was naught.

**********

It couldn’t have been too much later when you opened your eyes but it had felt like an eternity. You didn’t know if you were surprisingly resilient or if it was an effect of that sweet, sweet adrenaline but your head didn’t hurt too badly at all and you were able to push yourself up into a sitting position. Luckily, you seemed to have been hit by a segment of the root that wasn’t barbed. 

Ugh. The  _root_.

Perhaps you didn’t notice at first because your thoughts were a bit muddled,but as you looked over to where the demon root had emerged you  realized not only was there no sign of the sinister plant, you saw that you were no longer alone.

They had their back turned towards you but the tall, decidedly masculine figure was clad entirely in black head to toe, his long leather coat leaving his toned arms exposed.His arms themselves were covered with tattoos; the dark whorls in stark contrast to his pale skin.Oddly enough, he donned black sandals and had an ornate silver cane clutched in his right hand. The most bizarre of all was the large bird of prey perched atop the man’s shoulder; it’s feet were a pleasant shade of purple and it’s plumage a shining, iridescent blue.

And then it spoke in  a voice brash and masculine: 

“Well, it’s good we made short work of that Qliphoth root and all, really V, but I  _swear_ I  heard someone!”

Using this as a cue, you cleared your throat a bit, wanting to make your presence known.Then the man turned towards you, the bird flapping his wings a little.

“See!  See?  I  _ told  _ you someone was up here!" 

The man quirked an eyebrow, clearly amused at the bird’s antics.

"I never once doubted you.”

The man, V you presumed, spoke in a soft lilt somewhere in between regular speech and a whisper.The closer he approached the more you were able to make out his features. He wore,in fact, no shirt under his coat if the sliver of flesh you could see between its front lacing was any indication and his entire torso seemed to be covered in the intricate black markings, even snaking a bit up his neck.Chin length, tousled, raven hair neatly framed his bold facial features, that one would either love or hate.The hollows of his cheeks were sharp, his lips a full blush of pink.His expressive eyes, a muted green, where framed by thick dark lashes.

Finally closing the gap between you, the man offered his hand to you. 

“Are you all right?” 

You briefly considered if you should let a man who uses a cane help you up but quickly dismissed the thought as nonsense.You took his hand, his skin soft and warm, and got to your feet.

“Better than some. Thanks.”

The bird regarded you with glowing amber eyes that had multiple irises.

“Missy, you got lucky. I mean  _really_ lucky.I don’t know what the hell you were doing but it’s a good thing  I  heard all the fuss you were making or else that Qliphoth root woulda skewered you like a kebob!”

The bird seemed to puff out his chest, clearly proud.

“ Wait, so  _you_ killed that thing?”

 “Sure did! Easy peasy! I’ll hafta show ya sometime. But I have to ask, what _were_ you  doin’ up here?”

Your cheeks warmed, knowing full well how ridiculous your answer was going to sound.

“I,uh... hit it with a tennis racket.”

The bird erupted with raccous laughter. 

“Now, Griffon, don’t be so rude,” the man chided but even as he spoke a small smirk tugged at his lips.Despite yourself you smiled too.

“It’s okay, I knew from the start it was a crazy plan.” 

The man softly chuckled, not unkindly.

“‘You never know what is enough unless you know what is more than enough.’”

You gave him a quizzical look. 

“Oh man, Shakespeare here’s at it again!” 

So the man liked to quote poetry verses? Offbeat,sure, but it was something you could get behind.

“Surely Shakespeare isn’t your real name? I’m ______ by the way.” 

“Where are our manners? But considering the circumstances...” the man gestured with a wave of his cane, “This is Griffon and I... Well, you can call me V.” 

If you were being honest you had already surmised as much. Introductions were nice anyway, a shred of normalcy amidst all the chaos. 

“Yeah, yeah. Now that the niceties are out of the way, we should get the hell outta dodge if we’re gonna find a place to crash before nightfall!” 

You tried not to look too crestfallen. For all of their oddities they seemed pretty nice and if you were being perfectly honest... you were scared. You put on a brave face anyway.

“It was really nice to meet you. Thank you for saving my life.” 

“Geez Louise, girlie! You think we’re gonna leave you behind? That would basically be murder! I mean, you’re no Serena Williams here, let’s be honest!" 

It was V who spoke next as you all made your way to the door,

“It certainly won’t be an easy journey but we can see you to safety. We have the time to spare. For now.” 

You laughed at the bird’s playful ribbing but felt so incredibly grateful to the pair.

“I have no idea how I will ever repay you two. I’m so grateful I-“

You were cut off by V giving you a brief pat on the head as he walked ahead holding the door for you.

“‘Gratitude,in itself, is heaven.’”


	2. Chapter 2

Nothing could have prepared you for the horrors that awaited you outside. Looking out of your window was one thing, but to actually be outside, the ruin of the city surrounding you... it was almost too much to take.The charming ice cream shop across the street was reduced to rubble, the bench in front of your apartment building was splintered; never to be sat in again. Your car—

“Oh,man! My car!”

Your body sagged a bit, lamenting your loss.

“That sucks. I feel for ya. I really do.” To his credit, Griffon truly sounded sincere.

It really began to sink in that aside from the few belongings you haphazardly shoved in your bag, you had lost everything. But you couldn’t let yourself think about that right now. You straightened up.

“I’ll be sad about it later. Surviving is more important right now.”

This gained you a look from V, his expression one you couldn’t quite place.   Griffon launched off of V’s shoulder, the wide spread of his brilliant blue wings a majestic sight to behold.

“Let’s get crackin’!”

************

The next two hours were spent in relative silence; your small party focusing instead on making some headway.Griffon flew on ahead but never too far, from time to time offering some insight on the upcoming terrain or taking a moment to spout a quip or pun. You found yourself appreciative of the bird. You quickly came to realize that was his way of boasting morale; something that was sorely needed.Your progress forward was abysmally slow.More often than not the roads were warped and impassable; Qliphoth roots and ravaged buildings blocked off other possible routes.And then the demons showed up.

There were precisely five of them. They resembled some sort of hellish insect that stood about seven feet tall with legs as sharp as any sword and had abdomens visibly bloated with blood.Two vermilion eyes seemed to emit a sinister glow and in between them, a macabre human looking face that tapered out into a grotesque mandible. A pair of rudimentary wings sat uselessly on their backs. V and Griffon seemed utterly unfazed as you hastily retreated to the sidelines.Griffon immediately went on the offensive, the air around him seemed to become warm and crackle with energy before he unleashed a barrage of lightning at the enemies.V outstretched an arm, the dark markings swirled to life and faded as a large, black, panther-like demon sprung forth.The panther joined Griffon in the attack, shifting its very body into long lances and spikes to deliver piercing blows to the demons. V stood apart from the action, issuing commands to Griffon and the large cat; he was their conductor and they his demonic orchestra. After a time, the insectoid demons seemed to lose steam, the battery of attacks stunning them in place. In a feat of amazing and unexpected agility, V finished them all off; running each of them through with his strange silver cane. One by one, the demons writhed in their death throes before disintegrating in the blink of an eye.

The battle over, you made your way back to the others. Griffon soared in excited circles around your head. 

“So?  So?  Whaddaya think? Pretty fucking sweet,huh? Go on, tell me I’m wrong!”

You let out a breath you didn’t know you were holding.First joining them you didn’t know  what  to expect of their abilities. Certainly not  this.  They truly exceeded all expectations. To have them as your protectors you must’ve won some sort of cosmic lottery.

“Griffon, that was badass— _ you  _ are badass,” you turned, addressing V next, “And I guess you have some tricks up, or rather,  _ on  _ your sleeves, huh?”

Your bad pun earned you a smirk from the brooding man.

“A few.”

You gestured towards the panther, “So, who might this be?”

“That would be Shadow.” 

You bent over a bit, offering your hand, palm up, to the elegant beast. Shadow approached you wearily, its long black tail whipping side to side. You noticed for the first time a red pattern subtlety embellished its body with a soft glow.Mouth agape, Shadow quickly sniffed your hand—luminous cinnabar eyes squarely set on yours the whole time. With a twitch of the ear, Shadow disappeared, resuming its space on its master’s body.  Without warning Griffon was on your shoulder, his size and weight not inconsiderable. 

“ Yikes!  Tough break there, sister! Try not to take it too personally though. More of the strong and silent type, that one. Can’t all be as charming as yours truly here.” 

You smiled, any feelings of rejection quickly dissipating. Feeling bold, you reached over to stroke Griffon’s radiant plumage.

“Hey, getting fresh with  _ me  _ now, are ya? Well, sweetheart, I’m not that easy ! I tell you what, I— a little to the left. A little more. Yeah, yeah!  That’s the stuff!”

*************

By the time night had fallen you had decided to take refuge inside a small bank.  Ordinarily, sleeping in a bank would seem like a nightmare, but given the situation it was pretty perfect.  The front of the building had large metal shutters that could be pulled down for extra security; the lobby was small but luckily had electricity and two cushioned benches adjoined in the leftmost corner.  You could’ve cried when you discovered the restroom in the back still had running water.  You decided to take the time to freshen up, despite Griffon’s predictable chaffing. Who knew the next time you’d get a chance?  You washed away the day’s grime and walked back into the lobby feeling refreshed, your bag slung over your shoulder.

“Feeling better, Highness? Fresh as a daisy?”

 “Why, yes, Sirrah. Quite.”

Griffon simply tutted.

V was already seated on a bench, reading a book, his posture more easy and casual than you would have expected from the somber man.The book’s cover was a deep mahogany emblazoned with a large golden ‘V’ on both sides andsported elaborately detailed trimming.Overwhelming curiosity coupled with the day’s events caused a lapse in your sense of propriety. 

“What are you reading? Unless, uh, that’s too personal?”

He looked up at you, his eyebrows raised slightly.

“Not at all. Come see for yourself.”

You made your way over to the bench and took a seat beside him, feeling rather sheepish. He held the book in his hands, angling it so you could see. The pages where filled with poems written in a neat, flowery script; each one encompassed by a complementary illustration. You were surprised that the poems weren’t wholly unknown to you. 

“William Blake! So _that’s_ who  you’ve been quoting!”

V arched a brow, smiling a bit.

“ Ah , so you’re familiar?”

“I’ve dabbled a bit. I’m hardly a scholar.”

“‘The true method to knowledge is experiment.’”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

Though you tried to will it away, you felt your cheeks redden and your heart beat quicken; you were suddenly aware of the quiet intimacy of the scenario unfolding before you and it gradually dawned on you how  _damned_ handsome  V actually was. Those sultry viridescent eyes and those  lips ...

Nope! Nope! You shook away those thoughts.This was hardly the time or place. Besides, you knew next to nothing about him, you had just met!You sighed inwardly, your composure back in place.

“Want a protein bar?” 

“Sure. Why not.”

You dug into your bag, fetching a bar for V and one for yourself.You thought about Griffon and Shadow, wondering if the strange demons needed to eat. Handing the bar to V and receiving thanks, you decided to ask.

“Say, do Griffon and Shadow eat?” Griffon answered before V could respond.

“Maybe in another life we did, but now? Not so much. So long as Shakespeare here’s still kickin’, we’re good as gold!”

You nodded, making a sound of acknowledgment. Your intuition had told you as much. You chewed your protein bar slowly, not feeling all that hungry. You had so many questions for V but you didn’t want to pry too much or be an annoyance.You would try to tread lightly.

“Forgive me, but I’m curious... what brought you here?”

V’s face instantly darkened, and you almost regretted asking. He closed his book and stared at the ground, considering the question.

“I guess you can say I’m from around here.”

He was dodging the question, you kind of expected this reaction. You decided to push further.

“Oh, really? So, just wrong place, wrong time then? But since you’re super strong you decided to stick around and be a hero?”

You said all of this as light-heartedly as possible so you weren’t prepared for V’s look of sheer agony as he pinched the bridge of his nose. His voice came out wavering and husky.

“ I ... am  _not_ a  hero.”

He looked straight ahead and continued.

“The demon responsible for all this, Urizen, and  that man  who created Urizen in the first place... we are inexorably linked.Any blood upon their hands invariably stains mine as well. That’s why I  will  stop him, no matter the cost to myself.However.... my strength alone is not enough to defeat Urizen and I am... _unable_ to  become stronger. I am awaiting backup from a man— Nero. He had to retreat in order to regain his strength and in the the interim I... am doing what I can to atone.”

He looked at you then and your stomach was in knots. You had no idea what to say. Your mind was running a mile a minute. You didn’t know why he was holding himself accountable for another’s actions and you were certain that you weren’t getting the entire picture. But one thing was crystal clear: V had told you all that he himself could bare to say.

“I won’t pretend that I can perfectly understand everything that’s going on, but I _do_ know  that you’re hurting. Whatever that man and that demon are to you, whatever they have  done, from what I’ve witnessed you have done nothing but the contrary. Staying here, righting _whoever's_ wrongs ... that seems incredibly brave to me. You _saved_ me .”

“I haven’t saved you yet.”

“But you did! Like Blake once said,’Life is but a day’ after all.”

V’s expression lifted considerably.

“I’m pretty sure it was Keats who said that.” 

You blushed, chagrined. He was probably right.You smiled cheekily.

“Y-yeah, I knew that. Just keeping you on your toes.”

V hummed, his timbre sounding doubtfully teasing.  Griffon used this moment to chime in.

“Oh, so now ______ is getting in on this whole poetry deal? I’m feelin’ a little left out so I guess I’ll try one out too. Let’s see... must be  _somethin_ ’ I know... Oh,right! Ahem! ‘There once was a man from Nantucket...’”


	3. Chapter 3

Morning came and you were mildly surprised to find V still sleeping; but if what he had told you last night was anything to go by, V and his familiars have been fighting against this demonic outbreak for  _days_ . He must be exhausted.He looked so peaceful and vulnerable laying there. His dark locks were brushed away from his face, his lashes so long they cast a shadow.His chest rose and fell softly, matching his slow and steady breathing; lips ever-so-slighlty parted.

“See something you like?”

Startled, you gasped. You had temporarily forgotten that Griffon kept watch last night.The commotion made V bolt upright, cane at the ready.Griffon cackled.

“Easy there, Shakespeare!Just caught _______ here off guard is all!Though you  _might_ want to check your face for a hole, she was staring preeetty intently.” 

You shot Griffon a look, incredulous. 

“What? No, I-I—“ you took a second to inhale, willing yourself to be calm. “I’m really sorry I woke you.” 

V relaxed then, offering Griffon a wry smile before replying to you, idly running a hand through his hair as he spoke.

“It’s quite all right. We should be setting off soon in any case. No rest for the wicked.”

There was something playful in his expression.He stretched before making his way to the facilities. You waited a few minutes, munching on some mixed nuts you had in your bag. When you were sure V was out of earshot you decided to speak.

“Hey, Griffon?”

“Yeah?”

“I didn’t realize you were actually a rat.”

**********

The next couple of hours progressed much like they had the day before: slow and arduous. You stopped only to fight small crowds of the bug-like demons, which V, Griffon and Shadow dispatched with relative ease.All the same, you pushed forward and eventually made it to a more populated part of the city. Well,it was at one time at least.You will never forget the first time you saw them: former inhabitants of the city littered the street, now nothing more than lifeless husks frozen in a mimicry of their panic and fear. On the sidewalk, lovers held each other in a final embrace. By the coffee shop, a person stopped to help another who had fallen; outstretched hand never to be grasped. In the middle of the street, what was once a child squatted, balled hands pressed against their eyes.Unthinking, you reached out and touched the child, only for its form to crumble and drift away... gone forever.You blinked back the tears that threatened to spill.You felt V’s hand on your shoulder as he gently turned you towards him.He opened his mouth to speak but his words would forever remain a mystery to you as in the next instant he clutched you tightly against his body and turned you both around, effectively shielding you from an unseen attack.Fortunately, the ever vigilant Shadow was there in time to parry the blow away from V.V stared at you, the look in his eyes urgent. You knew without being told that you needed to get out of the way and did as you were bidden.

The demons this time were different.The majority were tall, skeletal figures shrouded in preternaturally flowing robes, each one brandishing a scythe like some kind of grim reaper.Others were big, brutish humanoid demons wielding dual cleavers.The last was a towering mantis-like demon bigger than any of the other now familiar insectoids.V, Griffon and Shadow were significantly outnumbered and your stomach roiled, sick with worry.

The trio seemed utterly unaffected, however.Griffon laughed boisterously as he blasted away at the demons with his electrifying power and Shadow obediently followed his master’s commands, piercing and drilling its foes with its fearsome spikes.Curiously, V pulled out his book of poems, opened it and proceeded to recite a verse, his cadence smooth and even:

 “‘To see a world in a grain of sand;

A heaven in a wild flower.

Hold infinity in the palm of your hand;

An eternity in an hour.’”

It gave you goosebumps. You couldn’t explain it but as he did this, V gave off such an intense and powerful aura you seemed to feel it in your very core.V wasn’t finished yet.In one fluid motion, he closed the book and tucked it back into his coat. Nothing could have prepared you for what came next.He threw his free arm in the air, snapping his fingers. Simultaneously, the very pigment of his jet black tresses scattered alway in small shards, revealing hair like moonlight.Seeming to spring forth from the very sky, a giant made of a shifting dark material exploded onto the scene.A bright amethyst light shone out from where its face should have been, making it resemble some sort of cyclops.It immediately began attacking the other demons; pummeling them with a swing of its mighty arms and blasting them with destructive energy beams.You heard Griffon laugh. 

“Ahaha! Fuck, yeah!”

V gracefully moved about, finishing the demons when necessary. At one point you were sure you saw him... tap dancing?The four working together made short work of the demons, defeating them almost faster than you could perceive. Job done,the cyclops dissipated, V’s hair returning to his usual black.You ran over to the now trio, nearly bursting with excitement— and questions.

“Enjoy the show?” 

Griffon,as always, greeted you with a sarcastic quip. 

“Where do I even begin? I guess first off: Shadow, thank you for protecting V earlier. I wouldn’t have forgiven myself if he had gotten hurt.”

Shadow looked at you with those enigmatic eyes, closing them slowly as if in acknowledgement and acceptance of your thanks. 

“And Griffon, such a tour de force, per usual. I haven’t known you long but I’d say you’re easily in the top three of my favorite demonic bird list.” 

The bird cocked his head, narrowing his eyes playfully at you.

“Har. Har.”

You turned to V, hoping you wouldn’t sound  _too_ zealous.

“So what the hell  was  all _that_?The book? Your hair?That cyclops thing?And most pressing of all,  _tap_ _dancing_? ”

V softly chuckled.

“I’ll answer your questions... I’ll try to be thorough.”

He looked straight into your eyes as he spoke to you, voice as smooth as velvet.Your heart did a little flip. You hoped the effect he seemed to have on you wasn’t blatantly obvious.

“I use the book and its poems to focus and charge my energy. The power is already mine, think of the book more as a catalyst; a token of my own choosing.  The large demon I summoned is called Nightmare.It takes a significant amount of energy and concentration to sustain its form so it usually lies dormant.”

“So your hair... it’s actually white,huh?”

“Indeed.”

“Wow. You’d sure give any magician a run for their money.Rabbit out of a hat? Pssh! Child’s play! Ever think of taking your act to Vegas?"

Your comment made V chortle; actually laughing for the first time since you met him. You loved it so much your heart ached.

“A missed opportunity, I’m afraid.”

Griffon swooped in and landed on V’s shoulder.

“Well, would ya get a load of ______! V, if I didn’t know any better I’d say I’m rubbin’ off on her! Although, if I’m not mistaken maybe it’s _you_ who’d  like to ru—“

Griffon was cut off by a leaping bound from Shadow, knocking him off V’s shoulder and pinning him on the ground.Griffon squawked, struggling against the weight of the big cat.

“V!  _V_!  Get this oversized plush toy offa me right now!” 

“‘A truth that's told with bad intent, Beats all the lies you can invent.’”

“Yeah,yeah,yeah! Message received, Shakespeare! Now let me up!”

Shadow quickly obliged and Griffon was on his feet, ruffling his feathers and mumbling to himself.You were pretty sure he was pouting. 

Before you had any chance of reflecting on the events that just transpired, you heard V let out pained groan, collapsing heavily upon his cane.Griffon and Shadow were immediately at his side, supporting him.

“_____! We gotta get him to shelter!” 

You turned on your heel, scanning the location for a suitable place. 

“There!”

You recognized the building on the corner as a small rent-to-own store— which meant it most likely had comfortable furniture on display. You draped V’s arm around your shoulder, helping Griffon and Shadow bare some of the man’s weight. You made your way to the store, heart racing all the while.


	4. Chapter 4

You managed to get V into the store with little incident.  As you had hoped, there was no shortage of comfortable furnishings but across the room you saw a king-sized bed on display, completely made up with pillows and a comforter and decided that was where V would be most comfortable.  Upon getting V on the bed you removed his sandals, placing them on the floor.  You tucked him under the covers, gingerly cradling his head as you put a downy pillow underneath it. Griffon took post at the head of the bed, perching atop the headboard.  Meanwhile, Shadow took a spot at the foot of the bed, keeping its eyes alertly on V. Despite it being nearly the end of May, V was ice cold, his skin seeming to be twice his regular pallor.  He didn’t appear to be suffering any great pain, but he seemed so weak; like he might close his eyes and never wake up. The thought distressed you more than you would have thought possible.

“What’s going on?  _Please_ somebody tell me something!”

“V’s body’s not exactly strong on a good day, you know? “ Griffon paused, letting out a sigh, “But exceeding his limit like this, so easily? This ain’t normal. Makes me think that having  _that guy_ around  is just too much stress on his body.”

“That guy? Who? Nightmare?”

“No, no... That huge lug is big and powerful, sure,but controlling him’s easy, no real self awareness, that one.No, the guy I’m talking about you haven’t met—name’s Phantom and he’s a real bastard.He’s been rebelling against V since day one, fighting against V’s control.He’s been totally useless! Nothing but a drain on V’s energy.The worst part is that _I’m_ responsible. I’m the one that pushed V to try and tame him.It’s like I all but forgot that more power’s useless if it’s too much for you to handle.”

Griffon’s head hung low, deep in remorse. You thought that if the demon could cry, he’d probably shed a tear.You reached out and stroked your feathered pal, feeling hopeless.

“Isn’t there  anything  we can do? Anything at all?”

“V might recover this time around, but the thing is, it’s only a matter of time before something like this happens again. Then who knows? Unless...”

“Griffon!”

V’s voice was weak, but his tone unmistakenly held a warning to the avian demon. 

“V, buddy—this might be our only chance.  Wanna defeat Urizen? Not gonna happen if you no longer exist!”

V sighed deeply, relenting for now. Griffon continued, addressing you in particular.

“So,  _as I was saying_... it’s a long shot but, we could try a transference... send Phantom packin’ to a new piece of real estate.  Regular humans have been known to make pacts with demons; it’d kinda be like that.”

Your eyes widened in realization.

“So you’re suggesting that V transfer Phantom... to me?”

“Yes, but —full disclosure? —your odds of surviving the transfer aren’t good at all.Even if you did live through it, there’s no tellin’ exactly how well your body would handle it, not taking into account that Phantom, like I said earlier, is a willful son of a whore. Pretentious too! I mean, is he spider, a scorpion? Pick a lane, pal!”

A giant spider. Great. You thought about your options for a minute. What choice did you really have?

“I’ll do it. Pretty much any of my choices would lead to my death anyway.  If you guys die now, I’d never make it out of this city alive.  Even if I did, if nobody was around to stop that demon Urizen, I’d end up dying anyway, along with everyone else.  If doing this can increase the chances of you all being around to end this, it’s a no brainer. This is in my own best interest as well.”

V gazed at you, his expression one of challenge.   You returned his gaze, gentle but resolute.

“This is  _my_ choice,V.”

His face softened at once, acquiescing to your decision.

“You’re right.”

**********************

After getting a few hours of rest, V was ready to start the ritual. He looked a bit better, but his face was still considerably pale. The word ‘ritual’ conjured so many images in your head: candles, a circle of glyphs and runes carefully traced onto the floor, incantations recited in reverent tones.You said as much to V and he let out a faint chortle.

“In a proper magical ritual perhaps, but in this case... I already have the power within me, no need to invoke any more.”

“Oh.”

You pouted a bit; you had let your self get swept away in the romanticism of it all. V smiled weakly.

“Sorry to disappoint you.”

V sat cross-legged on the bed he had just been sleeping in a minute ago, waving you over to join him.  You sat in front of him, mirroring his pose.  You looked at him, expectant. He made a sidelong glance, stalling. He cleared his throat.

“Forgive me, I... seemed to have _forgotten_ that there are indeed some...  steps...  that will need to be taken.”

You stared at him, puzzled. It didn’t seem like him to forget something like that.

“Oh. Well, that’s fine. To err is human, as they say.”

“It will require us both to receive a small laceration, just  _here_ on our forearms in order for our... _energies_ to better mingle.” He traced a finger on the underside of his arm in demonstration.

In the background, you heard Griffon guffaw. You bit back a smile. You had your suspicions, but Griffon’s reaction clinched it: V was making this up as he went along. For your benefit.You couldn’t stop the butterflies in your stomach if you wanted to.

You nodded, playing along. You didn’t want to break the spell he was weaving for you.

“Whatever it takes.”

“Oh, one last thing...”

He leaned back and untied the lacing to his jacket, pulling the string through the eyelets as he unlaced it. Your breath caught in your throat.

“We’re going to need  _this_ .”

V held up the string with two fingers, giving it a slight shake but you scarcely noticed.  With the lacing no longer holding it in place, V’s jacket hung loosely on his shoulders, exposing his bare midriff.  One of your earliest thoughts about V proved to be true; his torso was indeed covered entirely in his signature black branding.  His body was lean but well toned and you tried not leer.   Tried. V cleared his throat, bringing you back to Earth.

“Shall we begin?”

“Let’s.”

V picked up his cane, using the sharp end to make a shallow cut on his forearm, just as he mentioned. You offered up your left arm and he took it, holding it almost tenderly as he duplicated the slash onto you. You winced a bit but the pain wasn’t anything you couldn’t handle.  V put down his cane, placing his left arm on top of yours, twin wounds meeting in rivulets of crimson. Next, he picked up the string and placed under your arms.

“Take one end and follow my lead.”

Carefully, he began winding the string around your arms, loosely binding them together.  You followed suit, getting the picture.

“‘The wild wind weeps

And the night is a-cold;’”

Arms fully entwined, V reached out with his free hand and grabbed the back of your head, moving it slightly forward. He pressed his forehead against yours, his breath warm against your face.

“‘Come hither, Sleep,

And my griefs enfold.”

And then you were gone.


	5. Chapter 5

It felt like jolting awake from a dream; one second you were face-to-face with V, the next you were... wherever the fresh hell this place was.You were in a dimly lit corridor that seemed to stretch on forever, the walls crowded with paintings of red roses, their frames all different shapes and sizes.The floor was made of gleaming white marble, a red runner trailing on infinitely in both directions. You felt strange and vulnerable, like you were separated from your body. You supposed that was probably the case.You called out for V, not seeing him anywhere, but the quality of your voice was weird; it didn’t seem to carry, the sound unnaturally close to your own ears. Feeling more than a little bit unsettled, your forced yourself forward.

You weren’t sure how long you walked—hell, you weren’t sure if time was even a thing in this place— but at least to your own sense of perception it felt like at least 30 minutes. To your relief, the hallway did come to an end, albeit a dead one.The painting on this wall was different, however. It was very large, taking up most of the wall. The rose in this painting was magenta; wilting and frail.You figured that this  had  to be the way forward. 

You pulled and pushed at all the edges of the painting you could reach to no effect. You sighed, rolling your eyes.

“Right. That’d be too easy.”

You then started to rub your hands all over the painting, looking for... you weren’t quite sure to be honest.  You were about to give up, feeling foolish, when you felt something sharp stab your palm. You recoiled, grimacing slightly at the blood that beaded your hand. You looked up in time to see the painting changing, as if reacting to your blood.  The rose livened before your eyes, perking up, becoming brighter and fuller. There was a bright flash and all the paintings in the room changed. The once red roses were now white lilies and the magenta rose before you now a bright shade of blue.

“Now what?”

You tentatively reached out a hand to once again touch the painting and found it incorporeal. You outstretched your arm, blindly grabbing at the air;  testing the waters so to speak. You were just getting ready to retract your arm, thinking that you would try poking your head through next, when you felt slender fingers encircle your forearm. No chance to react, you were pulled through the ghostly painting and you came face to face with V.

“V!”

Forgetting yourself in your utter joy and relief, you threw your arms around your oft-time protector, clutching him in a warm embrace. You felt him stiffen, his breath hitching in his chest. Slightly mortified, you pulled away, cheeks ablaze.

“I am so sorry! I thought I’d lost you and I was just so happy I—“

Your thoughts came to a halt however, when you took a good look at V. You didn’t notice before in your haste, but V’s usually black hair was traded instead for his seldom seen snowy white locks; his pale skin was  completely without blemish, his sinuous dark markings completely absent. He looked positively angelic.  You might have voiced this thought aloud.  V let out an actual, full bodied laugh. You gaped at him, stunned.

“Forgive me. I really don’t mean to tease you. Your words humble me. Truly. “ The expression he gave you was soft and undoubtably sincere.

You smiled and looked down, shuffling your foot in embarrassment.

“I don’t know what’s wrong with me, it’s like my emotions are running a way with me a bit.”

“Well, this is _my_ mind ... I suspect any strong and unguarded thoughts you have may... make themselves known to me.”

Your eyes nearly bulged out of your head, but you managed to remain calm.

“Oh. Shit. Well, sorry in advance if I say something weird or...”

“I’ll be sure to pay it no mind.”

“Did you just... make a pun?”

V just smiled enigmatically.

**********

With your awkward reunion with V out of the way, you turned your attentions now to your surroundings.You appeared to be in an enormous courtyard that looked like something straight out of a fairytale. The grass was plush and well-maintained; more green and vivid than any you’d ever seen in real life.Beds of flowers tastefully made use of the space; their perfume wafting daintily in the air.A bubbling brook bisected the yard, and in the distance you could see that a charming footbridge connected the halves.Above the bridge a spiraling, crystalline staircase floated; beyond your reach. Heavy wooden doors adorned each of the four stony walls; you counted at least twelve. 

You looked over at V, bemused.

“Well, I sure hope you know where to go or this could take... a while.”

“‘If the doors of perception  were cleansed every thing would appear to man as it is: Infinite.’”

You smiled at him knowingly. He held your gaze for a second before he continued.

“Luckily, I can feel intuitively where we should go—this is after all, my domain such as it is. However, I fear it won’t be without obstacle.  Although I let you in willingly, your presence here is still unnatural and thus my mind has taken some... precautions.” He hung his head in apology.

You reached out and lightly touched his arm.

“Hey, don’t worry about it. I mean, this is pretty intimate, you know? I think literally anybody would be at least a  bit on guard—let alone someone as complicated as you.”

“You’re too forgiving. Do you forget the very real danger  I  have put you in?”

His voice was so soft, you almost thought you imagined it.

“We’ve had this conversation before, remember Broody?   You  didn’t force me to do this. We can revisit the topic later—if I live that is— but for now, lead the way ‘Oh, Captain, My Captain!’”

He studied you, his expression unreadable.

“Very well.”

***************

V led you from through a powder blue door on the eastern wall and as soon as V opened it, you were already certain there was no way you could possibly succeed. What stood before you was a yawning abyss so unyieldingly dark that even the light from the courtyard couldn’t penetrate it.The only source of light came from the dim silvery glow of the path that floated within. It was narrow, just large enough for two people to walk abreast, and it was winding; seemingly endless.To say you were frightened would be an understatement. 

“You’re trembling.”

“What if I fall?”

“I won’t let you.”

“What if  _you_ fall?”

“I doubt that can even happen.”

You frowned at him.  His assumption must be that because this is his own mind, he will be safe no matter the circumstances. You weren’t entirely convinced.  You cleared you throat, hoping you could correctly recall a poem verse that came to mind.

“‘One need not be a Chamber—to be Haunted—

One need not be a House— 

The Brain has Corridors—surpassing 

Material Place.’”

V gave you one of his signature smirks, considering you with heavy lidded eyes.  He spoke then, voice as smooth as silk,

“You raise a fair point.  Or rather, Ms. Dickinson.”

“You  could  get hurt, or maybe you’d wake up and I’d be like... trapped here.”

“I will tread carefully then.” V held out his arm, offering it to you, “It’s yours, if you so desire.”

You didn’t need to be asked twice.  Clutching his arm with both of yours, you slowly and steadily made your way down the meandering  pathway, your heart thudding in your chest all the while.

The pair of you walked for a time in silence, the darkness all around you felt heavy and oppressive. The luminescence from the walkway provided little visibility beyond where your next footfall would land. V finally broke the silence.

“I was wanting to ask you a question, if I may?”

“Shoot.”

“What were you doing still in the city?  The vast majority of civilians evacuated within a few hours of the first sighting of the Qliphoth. The day before we met you, I was certain we had saved the last of any stragglers still left alive.”

It was a fair question; one you knew would be coming eventually.  You sighed.

“It all just seems so pathetic and trivial now but, about a month before all this happened, I lost my job.  I was  crushed;  I moved to Red Grave City  for  that damned job. I spent most of that time just moping around my apartment, feeling sorry for myself.” 

You inhaled, trying to collect yourself before continuing,

”It’s so  stupid . It’s not like I didn’t know what was going on—it was all over the internet before the news even got a whiff of it.  Honestly, I didn’t believe it at first or figured people were making a big deal out of nothing. But, I  saw  the news... I  knew  that I should have left earlier but I just couldn’t bring myself to care.  I had nowhere to go and had realized that since it all started,  nobody  had contacted me to see if I was all right. No call, no text. Not any of my co-workers; not even my parents. No one. So I just kind of resigned myself to... whatever. I guess survival instinct must have taken over eventually... and then I met you.”

V stopped, effectively halting you both. A couple minutes went by and he said nothing; did nothing.  You wished more than anything that you could see his face and even then wishing you’d be able to read whatever you may find there.  You imagined he was furious; angry that he had wasted his precious energy—his awe-inspiring yet fragile strength—on someone as undeserving as you. Tears burned in your eyes, face red with shame.  And then, you were in his arms, pulled flush against him in a rough embrace.

“I’m sorry.”

His voice was a thick murmur; airy and hot on your ear.You shuddered.He gripped you tighter, and you did so in kind.His heart pounded heavily against your ear and he was so  warm .This was  bad  . At this rate you were going to say something you’d regret to the poet but... you couldn’t bring yourself to pull away. 

“Thank you, V.”

The chamber flashed in a dazzling array of light, the darkness totally inverting.  The path underneath you gave way, separating into tiny particles of pearly light.  You began to leisurely float downwards. You looked up at V, mystified.

“So, is this bad? Or is this a good thing?”

V’s gaze was smoldering.

“I’m not sure.”

Your stomach did somersaults. You got the distinct feeling he wasn’t talking about the spectacle that had just unfolded before you.  Abruptly, your feet touched solid ground, effectively ending the moment between you. V let out a sharp exhale through his nose that sounded almost... disappointed? You stepped away from him, a teal door in the distance catching your eye amidst all the white.  You pointed.

“That’s,uh, probably the way I’d wager.”  You rubbed the back of your neck nervously, fighting the urge to chew on your lip.

“It seems the likely course, yes. Let us proceed.”

******************

Your footsteps echoed unnaturally loud as you walked down yet another seemingly endless hallway; this one lined with broken mirrors and heavy velvet drapery. V walked several paces ahead and had said as little as possible during the twenty minutes you had been walking. He seemed ill at ease and guarded—more so than when you had first met him.Having time to reflect, you felt foolish for reading too much into his actions earlier. You wished forlornly that you had a bed to retreat to.You audibly sighed.This was taking _forever_. You hoped Griffon and Shadow were doing okay. The silence you walked in wasn’t a comfortable one and you were becoming agitated.You decided to try to lighten the mood.

“So, you never did tell me: what was with the tap dancing?”

“Oh, that,”he flashed a wry smile,”I suppose I forget myself sometimes. I was thinking about ‘Singin’ in the Rain’. I’ll have to beg your pardon; I have a tendency to be rather...  _theatrical_ when the mood strikes.”

“Oh, I’ll do no such thing. I love that about you.”

V raised an eyebrow, smirking at you.You blushed, cleared your throat and continued.

“You’re a bit of an old soul, aren’t you?” 

“I must admit I find myself rather drawn to the under-appreciated and forgotten.”

There was a husky quality to V’s voice and again he looked at you, his eyes dark and intense.If he kept this up, he was going to give you a heart attack. You opened your mouth, ready to crack a joke but V started walking closer to you and something about his body language made you think the better of it.He stood before you, his green eyes burning into yours as he lifted your head with his hand, his thumb gently stroking your cheek. 

“‘If you trap the moment before it's ripe,

The tears of repentance you'll certainly wipe;

But if once you let the ripe moment go

You can never wipe off the tears of woe.’

The truth is that there will never be a ripe moment for me.I find that I am at... _odds_ ...with myself,” he gave a wan smile,”Intrinsically, I know that it would be wrong to...  _involve_ myself any further with you and yet, here I stand... “

In that moment all your inhibitions—all your reasonings for holding back—flew out the window; understanding, you decided, could wait for later. All you knew is right here, right now you wanted to kiss the poet and another chance may never come.

 And so you did.

His lips were softer than you could have ever imagined. V let out a small breath in surprise before returning the kiss, his voluptuous lips enveloping yours in a caress so sweetly delicate you were seeing stars. You reached up and entangled your fingers in his ivory hair as he parted his lips, deepening the kiss. Your tongues entwined, V’s motions gentle but deliberate; savoring every second. He placed his hands on the small of your back, pulling you closer.In turn, you arched into the kiss, completely drunk on the taste of him. A moan escaped the conjuror’s mouth, the sound muffled inside your own. It was enough to drive you wild.Impassioned, you kissed him harder and more urgently, desperate to explore every crevice of his mouth. He responded to your fervor with equal ardor: lips crushing against yours, one hand trailing downwards the other lightly cupping your breast. 

You stopped only when the need for air became too great. V’s face was flushed, his breath coming out in a shaking, heavy pant.His eyes were half-lidded,seductive and hungry, and the bulge in his pants left little question that he wanted you as badly as you wanted him.An unfamiliar voice sent you both crashing down to earth.

“What a vulgar display.”


	6. Chapter 6

The man’s voice was measured and cold and sent an icy chill down your spine.He was tall and lithe, his frame not unlike V’s, and he was smartly dressed in a well-tailored suit tinted a deep shade of emerald. A thin, graceful sword rested at his left hip. His head was entirely wrapped in an uncanny mask of white bandages; a small slit gave the slightest impression of his mouth and hard, steely blue eyes peered out from the only real gap in the wrappings. V stood in front of you at once, his stance protective. 

The strange man gave V a withering look.

“Oh, _please_. If I meant to harm you I would have had ample opportunity while you were... distracted.”

The man came closer, his stride calculated and predatory.

“Besides, what benefit could  _I_ possibly garner from attacking  _you_ ?”

“It’s not myself I worry for,” V answered simply, his brows furrowed.

“I wish not to harm your woman,” the man gave a curt flick of his hand, “And yet, I wouldn’t even _be_ here  had  you,  on some subconscious level, not dictated it necessary.”

V hands balled into fists at his sides and he looked away, huffing in anger. You spoke up, finally finding your voice.

“Who even _are_ you ?”

The man cocked his head to the side, his frigid glare now trained on you.

“Who indeed? A facet of his personality?” He motioned towards V, “A manifestation of how he perceives  _that_ man? In the end, there is little difference. I am here simply to keep you on track; to see that you are worthy of our power.”

“I see,”You didn’t perfectly understand, of course, but you thought you understood enough, “So, do you have a name?”

“I do—maybe one day you shall learn it. But for now just call me... Gilver.”Although he was addressing you, Gilver’s gaze was fixed on V, a sneer curling his lips underneath his dressings. 

V’s expression was glassy, his body rigid,“I believe there’s no more reason to delay; lead us onwards if that is indeed your... function.”   

Gilver’s blue eyes narrowed.

“Hmph,” he turned away and began walking onwards, “Try not to fall behind.”

************

The silence that the three of you walked in was exhausting. Tension permeated the air, thick enough to cut.V walked stiffly at your side, jaw set, his eyes staring daggers into Gilver’s back. The mirrored hallway eventually became utterly labyrinthine; splitting into forks and intersections.There were so many twist and turns it made your head spin but Gilver never showed even the slightest hesitation.

“You certainly know your way around a labyrinth, Theseus.” Your nerves had gotten the better of you, the words spilling out.  V shot you an incredulous look.  Gilver snickered.

“Oh, but I am in fact the Minotaur.”

Your stomach felt like a ball of lead. Gilver turned his head, looking at you from over his shoulder.

“A joke.”

You couldn’t hold back your tittering laughter.  Even if it had sounded more like a threat, hearing the grim man make a joke was unexpected.  You looked over at V; he still looked on edge.  You grabbed his hand and spoke to him in hushed tones.

“Hey... it’s going to be all right.  Don’t forget this is  _your_ mind. You’re in control here. I’m sure if you really,  _really_ wanted to you could obliterate him on the spot.”

V visibly relaxed then, giving you the faintest of smiles.

“‘One thought fills immensity.’”

 “I heard _all_ of that, you know.”

************

Time passed and eventually you came before a large rotunda—empty save the mirrors that formed its walls. Gilver stopped just short the threshold, turning to regard V with those piercing eyes.

“There’s danger up ahead.”

V gave a curt nod, “I sense it as well.”

“I know  you  won’t be much help in a fight, but what of your woman?”

You bristled at Gilver’s repeated usage of “your woman” to refer to you and your cheeks reddened, chagrined.  You couldn’t fight.

“Her _name_ is  ______.  She is a victim in all of this as you are _well_ aware . I would ask you not to ask questions to which you are already privy of the answers in an attempt to be needlessly callous.”

Gilver tsked, turning his attention back towards the chamber. 

“More fun for me then.”He entered the room, his right hand at the ready on his sword, “Coming?”

You shared a look of affirmation with V and then cautiously entered the room.  The air felt chilly and too thin, the echo of your footsteps too muted. Although the mirrors on the wall weren’t broken, they reflected nothing at all.  Your hair stood on end.  V draped an arm around your shoulders, pulling you to his side.  Although he said nothing his meaning was clear: ‘Stay close to me.’   

Not a moment later, the room was flooded with demons emerging from clouds of dark miasma.  The demons were tall and human-like, clad in elaborate suits of armor, and wielded swords.  Gilver was on them in a instant, unsheathing his blade and delivering a powerful stroke in one fluent motion.  The flourish of his sword was next to impossible for your eyes to track. One by one, Gilver felled the enemies in a flurry of attacks that appeared as little more than a series of blinding silver arcs to your amateur eyes.  Although his movements were disciplined and controlled, just beneath the surface there was a ferocious, untamed quality to his skills.  Unversed in such matters as you were, it was still more than evident you were in the presence of a master of his craft.  The final three demons were just falling to their demise as Gilver sheathed his sword in cold proficiency.

“I’m glad he’s on our side.”

“Make no mistake, the only person he serves is himself and his foolish want of power... at the cost of anything,  anyone  else.”

V kept his eyes on Gilver, the far off look on his face betraying a deep sorrow and regret. You wondered what exactly he was seeing in that moment and wished you could help him heal.  You recalled Gilver’s introductory words and wondered... were V and Gilver one and the same?  You shook your head, vanquishing the thought at once.  Whatever the truth behind the situation was, V was different from the severe, bandaged man before you.  You reached over and took V’s hand, giving it a squeeze.  V looked at you with a bemused expression which quickly turned into a simper as he gave your hand an answering press.

V made his way over to Gilver and you followed close behind.

“I believe... I owe you my thanks.”

Gilver eyed him down, his expression sharp as ever.

“I merely did what you would’ve done.”

V smirked at the man.

“How curiously true.”

It was hard to tell beneath the bandages, but you were certain Gilver smirked as well.

Appearing like a mirage, you spotted a standing mirror in the distance; oval, antique, and bejeweled with sapphires.  You brought it to your companions’ attention.

“That is... most assuredly the way forward,” V responded to you, his voice like a purr.

Gilver crossed his arms.

“Agreed.”

You rubbed your chin, considering your next move. 

“So, we just... walk _through_  mirror?”

V raised his brows at you.

“It seems that way.”

You smiled.

“‘Beware the Jabberwock, my son!’” You turned to Gilver, “That wouldn’t happen to be the vorpal blade you have there, would it?”

Gilver let out a hmph.

“Looks like this will be the _second_ time  I will have the _pleasure_ of  associating with a clown.”

He shot V a look and to your surprise, the conjuror laughed. You grinned, looking between the two men, puzzled.

“You’ll have to forgive us,” V said, idly brushing some hair from your face, “it’s a bit of an... _inside_ joke. ”

“ _Another_ pun? You’re such a dork.”

“Says the clown.”

You pursed your lips in a mocking pout.

“Ha ha! So tell me, this other clown of yours, am I at least funnier?”

“Yes.”  The men answered in unison with absolutely no hesitation.

“Easier on the eyes too, by a wide margin.”  This comment came from Gilver and you nearly had to pick your jaw up from the floor.

“An understatement if ever I heard one,”V added with a chuckle.

Gilver groaned, clearly annoyed.

“All right. We’ve chatted enough. Let us press forward.”He shot a cursory glance at you before stepping straight through the mirror.You hadn’t noticed earlier, but Gilver’s bandages had slipped a bit, revealing the smooth planes of his high cheekbones.It must’ve happened during the fight, you decided. V gave you a playful nudge with his elbow.

“Shall we?”


	7. Chapter 7

When you emerged from the other side of the looking glass you were shocked by just how  _un_ -fantastical your surroundings were.It was night time and you were in a city but not just  any  city: it was Red Grave —  _before_ catastrophe struck.You had only lived there a little over a year before things went down and while you had mixed feelings about the job you had moved there for, the truth is you had loved Red Grave. It was a hub of art and culture but not  _too_ posh; a blend of times forgotten and modern flair. It had been just your speed and now it was... gone.For just a moment you had almost felt like you had woken up from a nightmare.It was like a punch to the gut realizing otherwise.

“______? Are you all right?”

V grasped you by your shoulders, his sage eyes swimming with worry.

He was like a balm for your heart.

“Yeah, I... I guess it just all sort of hit me. But... I’m okay.”

“I’m sorry.  It must be difficult to see this.  I must confess that I too am rather affected being here. I... well... I guess you could say I spent a good portion of my childhood here.”

“Really?”

“Indeed.  This city was ravaged by demons back then as well...”

“No way! V... I don’t know what to say... I’m so sorry.”

He traced your jawline with his thumb, “Thank you.”

“If you two are finished, might I suggest pressing forward?”  Gilver seemed to frown at the pair of you, hands akimbo. You exchanged a sheepish grin with V.

“Right. Let’s go.”

****************

As you made your way through the city, it quickly became apparent that the three of you were practically ghosts. People could neither hear or see you and you could impose no physical change on the environment; an odd feeling to be sure. Stranger still, the longer you walked, the more the city seemed to misalign with your memory.  At first it was little things: a mailbox in a slightly different position from where it should be, a bench missing from a store front that you knew with certainty should have been there, a statue adoring a street corner that in real life was bare. Soon buildings and shops that weren’t from Red Grave began to pop up until slowly your surroundings morphed into a different city entirely; one that was wholly unknown to you.  Privately, you were relieved.

Gilver lead you through a series of backroads and alleyways within the unfamiliar city. With each turn you swore you could sense V becoming more closed off and tense.You didn’t have a chance to inquire about V’s apparent distress because walking out from a connecting alley in front of you was none other than V, Griffon, and Shadow.This V was more like the one you were familiar with in the real world: ebony hair, whorls of dark tattoos, his posture slightly hunched as he leaned on his silver cane.Up ahead, an unfamiliar brunette man approached. V spoke to Griffon who sat perched on his shoulder. 

“Is that him?”

“Yeah,that’s him.”

“Are you absolutely certain?”

“Kid, you’re killing me here. If you can’t trust  _my_ eyesight then, sheesh!”

“Fair point. _Pin him to a wall_. ” 

You couldn’t believe what you were seeing. You wanted to look at V—well the V you were with—but didn’t dare lest you miss something.  Shadow had the stranger pinned to the wall, exactly as its master had bid.

“Wh-what’s going on here?!” The man stammered, clearly terrified.

“Hand over your money now and I’ll only have them beat you half as hard.”

V’s voice was hard, dripping with a coldness that was more reminiscent of Gilver than the man you had come to care for.

“M-my money? Sure! My wallet’s in my jacket pocket!”

V sauntered over, cane in hand, and pulled the wallet out of the man’s pocket. He pulled out the bills, throwing the wallet to the ground with a frown.

“Sixty dollars, I’m afraid, simply won’t do. Surely you possess more than this?”

“No, man! Honest!”

V pressed the blunt end of his cane to the man’s neck.

“Really? You’re quite sure? Think carefully now.”

“I’m telling the truth, man!!”

V retracted his cane with a sigh.

“I have... a prior engagement to attend to but luckily for you my friends here will be able to attend to you for all as long as it takes.”

V began to walk away before he called back to Griffon and Shadow.

“I’ll meet you back here in twenty minutes. Do try not to kill him.”

Griffon groaned.

“Ugh, leave all the hard work to us, why don’t ya?!”

V rounded the corner out of sight and Griffon and Shadow went to work.   It took less than two minutes. You would never forget the man’s screams as Griffon and Shadow performed what amounted to torture on the stranger.  You were frozen in horror.  The man yelled out the location of his money, and collapsed in the alley as soon as the demons ceased their attacks.  Griffon, in a flurry of dark feathers, took off to the location while Shadow stood guard by the man’s side, ears flat against its head and fangs bared.

In what seemed like no time at all, V had returned. He stood at the far end of the alley accompanied by a distinguished looking older gentleman wearing a waistcoat and a fedora.

“We’ll take the job,” the man explained to V, “But just so we’re clear: we don’t usually work for free. Is that going to be a problem?”

As if on cue Griffon returned, dropping a roll of cash from his bloody talons into V’s outstretched hand.

V gave the money to the man.

“I guess that all depends... Is that enough? We can...  _procure_ more if not.”

The man frowned at the bloodied bills in hand.  His frown grew deeper still upon noticing the beaten man down the alleyway.

“No... No, I suppose this’ll have to do.  Tell you what, I have to make one little pit stop, then I’ll meet you there—won’t be more than a half an hour. Dante’ll be wanting to meet his client.”

“Sounds good.”

Then finally, _mercifully_ , the scene ended, with you, Gilver and V all that remained in a room of white.  You were shaking, legs threatening to buckle.  You concentrated on breathing slowly in and out.  The truth is you didn’t  _really_ know V beyond what you had witnessed and what little he had told you.  Here, he had no words to hide behind, the entire scene lay bare to your eyes. But still... Maybe it was naivety; maybe it was your feelings for the summoner biasing your thoughts; whatever it was you wanted to believe that there was more to the story. V looked stonily at the ground, his hands in fists at his side.

“So... what was all of that?” You tried to keep your tone neutral, but couldn’t keep your voice from wavering a bit.

“Exactly as it appeared. Will an explanation really excuse such an act?”

You chewed on your lip.

“I don’t know. Possibly; I am willing to listen at least.”

V looked upwards now, sighing deeply. You didn’t miss the slight bob of his throat before he continued.

“At this point in time, Urizen had already existed in the world for two days. Time... was of the essence and I needed to enlist help from the only person I knew would even stand a chance against Urizen... but I needed an in: money.  I was desperate, to say the least, and simply had no time to earn any through...  _traditional_ methods. “

“But _this_? Couldn’t there have been another way?”

V stared at you, his expression tired.

“‘Better to shun the bait than struggle in the snare.’  I know what you are thinking, I could have just knocked over an ATM, something of that nature? But I couldn’t risk being seen and  the authorities pursuing me nor could I risk someone trying to stop Griffon and Shadow— I didn’t wish to harm even more innocent lives.”

You sighed. He raised a fair point.

“Not that it makes much difference,” V continued, “but I had to meet that man you saw,Morrison, in an...unsavory... part of town. I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to send Griffon ahead to scout for possible, shall we say...candidates. The man we attacked had been dealing rather insidious drugs and we were fortunate in that matter; considering the circumstances we couldn’t afford to be too... selective.”

You weren’t going to lie: it  _did_ make you feel better knowing that the man wasn’t exactly a model citizen. However, you recalled the vicious way V had spoken and interacted with the man.

“So, the way you acted around that man... you were putting on a front, right? You were playing a part to get him to spill the beans?”

V gave a subdued smile.

“That...is exactly right. But I would be lying if I neglected to mention that those mannerisms, that way of speaking... they aren’t exactly of a foreign nature to me.” His eyes quickly flicked over to Gilver.

The pieces were starting to fall together.

“You mean acting that way isn’t unusual for  _that_ man. “

V failed to mask his look of shock.

Your heart beat so rapidly it felt like it might burst out of your chest.  You wanted to know the truth but a part of you wanted to remain in the dark. Ignorance is bliss after all. Your mouth formed the words anyways.

“V... what exactly  _are_ you?”

V ran a graceful hand through his silvery locks.

“What indeed,”he looked at you, his eyes soulful, “I will tell you all; my word is my bond, but I beg of you— not here. Not now. I want to look into your eyes— _really_ look— when I tell you. And selfishly... I wish for you to see me as just a man, if only for a little while longer.”

Tears threatened to fall from your eyes but you smiled.

“Too late for that. I never thought of you as  _just_ a man from the moment I saw you.  You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met and I’m glad that we did, uh, meet. I can wait; happily.”

“I wish I could kiss you.”

You blushed.

“You don’t need to wish.”

“‘The Lily white shall in love delight, Nor a thorn nor a threat stain her beauty bright .’  You are...too good for me.”

He bent forward and his lips met yours.


	8. Chapter 8

It surprised you that Gilver had been silent during that entire exchange; in fact he had wandered off by the mirror, his back to you. It occurred to you that he was giving you and V privacy.He didn’t even attempt to rush you or meet you with a snide remark when you were finally ready to move on. For that, you were grateful. Gilver, despite everything , did have his good qualities.

Upon stepping through the mirror this time, you found yourselves within the ruined vestibule of what was once an upscale manor.You audibly gasped in shock as there on the floor lay V: bare naked, his delicate skin free of any markings, his hair milky white.Griffon, Shadow, and Nightmare stood nearby, surely awaiting the young man to regain consciousness.V groaned softly as his eyes fluttered open. He pulled himself up into a sitting position and gripped his head, his face the very embodiment of confusion.

“ _What...?_ _Where is he?_ _I must stop him!_ ” V’s voice was strained as he struggled to his feet, leaning on the wall for support. Griffon took flight, snatching up what appeared to be a severely tattered, brown cloak off the ground. 

“Woah, there fella! Just try and take it easy! Here, catch!”  the raptor flew overhead, dropping the cloth onto V.  V pulled the threadbare robe around him but it was little more than rags.

Griffon cackled.

“Doesn’t leave much to the imagination but it’ll have to do for now!”

V ran his fingers through his pallid hair.

“I cannot believe that creature left me alive.”

“Heh. You and me both there, kid!”

“That underestimation will be his undoing.”

“Yeah, about that... How to put this delicately?  As you are now you probably couldn’t fight off a cold.”

V gave a dry smile.

“Well, you aren’t wrong.”

“But, but! Me and the guys here have been talking... er well,  _their_ version of talking anyway, and well, we think we should team up!  Not just that, we should make a pact! Even ordinary humans can pull it off and you? You have a bit of demonic power left in you yet! Whadaya say?”

V’s brows knitted together, his green eyes searching.

“You three would willingly bind yourselves to me? Forfeit your freedom to aid me?”

Griffon ruffled his feathers, his amber eyes determined.

“We’re a part of _him_ too , you know?That drive you feel to stop him? We feel the same.We  could  try to fight independently but... honestly? I’m not much of fighter, Kitty here’s pretty tough but strategy? Forget it! Big Friendly Giant? He’s all brawn and no brains, dumber than a box of rocks. It wouldn’t be enough.There _was_ one  other guy here too but he booked it the first chance he got. Bastard. In any case, better to work as a unit.”

V’s expression was soft, radiating gratitude.

“‘The most sublime act is to set another before you.’” 

Griffon gave a humored squawk.

“Is that a yes then, Shakespeare?”

“Indeed.”

The scene shifted a bit, as though moving forward in time.V’s hair was now black as pitch as he stood in front of a bookshelf; crumbling but still functional and lined with books. He still donned only the drab cloak, but now tattoos ghosted over his skin like fading plumes of smoke—the telltale sign that Griffon and Shadow were physically present somewhere.Soon, the sound of flapping wings filled the room, followed by the appearance of Griffon who had a bundle of black clothing clutched within his purple talons.Shadow trotted in afterwards, the now well-known sandals dangling from its mouth.

“There you are! Thought we might find ya in here!”  Griffon let go of the clothes and they fell to the ground with a quiet thud. He then perched on a broken chair. “Let me tell ya, it wasn’t easy findin’ you something to wear. Not exactly a lot of clothes just laying around unless you like dresses or ladies’ shorts!”

V smirked, “I’m sure that whatever you have brought me will suit my needs well enough.”

“I still managed to do better than Kitty here, who brought you—wait for it—  _sandals_ .”  The avian demon laughed boisterously.  Sandals clattered to the ground as Shadow gave a roar that sounded oddly like a protest.  “‘It was all I could find!’ Kitty says!” Shadow growled, tail whipping side to side in obvious annoyance.  “Yeah, yeah. Relax there,  _Shadow_ . Just pulling your leg! “ Griffon preened a bit before diverting his attention back to V.

“So, kid, think of a name for yourself yet?”

V delicately trailed his fingers over the spines of the leather bound tomes before him. He idly considered the books; briefly looking at them before sliding them back into place.  Each had a large Roman numeral emblazoned on the front: I, II, III... He continued this until he reached the fifth book. He lingered here, studying the large golden V on the cover before completely removing it from the shelf.  He traced the V with his finger, smiling.

“Yes, I believe I have. V; my name shall be V.”

**********

The scene before you ended; it faded away much like a dream does upon waking.You, V, and Gilver were now within a large, stone, cavern.It was dim, albeit still easy to see; the chamber brightened by the light that spilled through a sizeable natural opening in the high ceiling of the cave. The floor was flooded with water but it was shallow, no deeper than a puddle.White feathers began to float from above,drifting to the ground like snow.You couldn’t place _why_ exactly , for the sight was indeed quite beautiful, but you felt uneasy; a sense of foreboding tying your stomach in knots.You felt like an insect caught within a web; deadly threads like spun starlight.

“Something’s wrong.”

No sooner did the words leave your lips did the feathers that filled the room turn inky black, like angels fallen from grace.A large figure began to descend from the opening in the ceiling.The figure was clad in dark, plated armor—similar to the armored demons from earlier—a purple cape trailed behind him.Two large horns sprouted from his head and curved forward, framing his human-like face.His eyes glowed, emanating an unnatural amber light.He wielded an enormous two-handed sword that emitted a staggering energy that resembled licking blue flames. The demon’s feet touched the ground, he’s tall and imposing. You looked over at V and Gilver, and it shocked you to see them  both  looking stunned. 

“Nelo Angelo.”

The name escaped V’s mouth, scarcely a whisper.

Nelo Angelo’s golden eyes trained on V then as he lifted a hand. Simultaneously, V is encircled in a glowing blue energy and lifted into the air.With a wave of Nelo Angelo’s hand, V is sent to a far corner of the room, bound there by the strange magic. You called out without thinking.

“V!”

Gilver drew his blade.

“Tsk!If a one-on-one fight is what you are after, I am happy to oblige. You needn’t concern yourself with those two.”

Nelo Angelo readied his sword and the two locked eyes, sizing each other up.In a feat of agility you wouldn’t have expected from the bulky warrior, Nelo Angelo closed the gap between them, using a single hand to swing his sword in front of him in a blazing, blue arc. Thankfully, Gilver was prepared and expertly dodged the blow before lunging forward with a counter strike.Unfortunately, Nelo Angelo was ready for this and deflected the attack with his massive blade.You knew already that this wouldn’t be an easy victory for Gilver and you found yourself afraid for the bandaged man, not to mention V and yourself. 

The battlefield was a flurry of blue and silver as the two swords clashed again and again.  The swordsmen were clearly evenly matched in skill.  Nelo Angelo created some distance from Gilver, summoning a circle of blue swords created from pure energy. With the raise of a hand Nelo Angelo launched the swords at Gilver, who managed to deflect all but one that delivered a glancing blow to his left shoulder.  Unbeknownst to Nelo Angelo, Gilver had summoned spectral swords of his own right above the demonic warrior and sent them raining down upon him, effectively landing a couple of solid hits.  Nelo Angelo growled before teleporting over to Gilver and unleashing a barrage of attacks. Gilver deflected and parried but each swing of Nelo’s sword was more punishing than the last and it was clear Gilver wouldn’t be able to keep up much longer.  In a flash of azure energy, Gilver instantly transformed into a horned, humanoid demon eerily similar to Nelo Angelo.   Gilver went on the offensive, his sword merely a silver glint in the darkness.  Silver and blue collided endlessly, the ring of metal against metal nearly deafening.  The fighters themselves appeared as little more than blurs as they teleported all around the cavern. The swordsmen then stood at a distance, the demonic power fading leaving Gilver looking human once again.  Gilver breathed heavily. He wasn’t looking good.  Nelo Angelo on the other hand, was impossible to gauge; his face a stoic and unreadable mask, body language betraying nothing. In a flash, Gilver teleported over to Nelo, the move not anticipated by the demon. Gilver used his sheath to deliver a hard strike to Nelo’s face while simultaneously thrusting his sword in a devastating upwards strike that pierced Nelo Angelo right in the gut.  This maneuver left Gilver completely open,however, and Nelo was able to swing his mighty sword in a debilitating attack to Gilver’s side that sent the man and his blade flying as Nelo collapsed to his knees.   

Gilver hit the ground in a motionless heap; his sword clattered with a loud splash— right at your feet.You picked it up.The elegant blade positively hummed with power; so well balanced and finely crafted it would be deadly even in the hands of an amateur.Nelo Angelo kneeled still on the ground, not yet recovered from Gilver’s ambush.Several choices lay before you but you knew only one was correct. Gripping the blade tightly, you ran. You ran and ran,  _splish splash, splish s_ _plash_ ; your footfalls noisy in the water; the sound rivaled only by the beating of your own heart,  _thud thump, thud thump._ Here, his physical limitations wouldn’t matter. Here, surely his skill would be evenly matched to Gilver’s.It was a risk, a gamble but one you’d be willing to wager. In what felt like both an eternity and an instant you reached V, still held in place by the magical blue bindings.The usually eloquent man was speechless, jade eyes as wide as saucers as he gaped at you like a fish.You took a deep inhale through your nose, steeling your nerves. You hoped you wouldn’t end up slicing him in two.Now or never. Using two hands you swung the sword in a graceful arc, aiming for V’s bindings.To your immense relief it worked, the magic shattered uselessly away like porcelain hitting a concrete floor.Carefully, you handed V the sword. He looked at you, astonished.Your eyes bore into his, an intensity you didn’t know you possessed rippling from within you.

“Finish this, V. You can do this.”

He flashed you  _the_ sexiest smirk ever before quickly bending over, using the water to dampen his hair and slick it back from his face.He took several steps away from you, shoulders set,moving with that all too familiar confident swagger. He brandished the blade with a dramatic flourish.

“‘If the Sun and Moon should ever doubt, they’d immediately go out.’”

As V made his way towards Nelo Angelo, you made a beeline for Gilver. You kneeled in the water beside him, cradling all you could of his head and torso on your lap. It was the only thing you could think to do. Thankfully he was still breathing, his bleeding slowed to a trickle.Remarkably, his bandages were hardly worse for wear than they were before the fight. The bandages only slipped by small increments on the top of his head, revealing tufts of powder white hair. On his face his mouth was was now visible; his lips full and bowed. Although most of his face was still obscured by the wrappings you mused that he was probably quite handsome.

Nelo Angelo was back on his feet now and no sooner did V descend upon him, fighting with such measure and poise it put even Gilver to shame.The undercurrent of wildness that pervaded Gilver’s movements was entirely absent. What V lacked in physical strength he more than made up for in technique and precision; every movement carefully calculated, not one ounce of energy wasted. It was a skill he no doubt acquired from working around his real life limitations. Every thrust and swing of the sword Nelo sent V’s way was effortlessly dodged and parried by the lissom poet. In a match where Nelo Angelo wasn’t previously wounded, it is hard to say who would come out on top. This time,however, it was clear that he was simply no match for V.Time itself seemed to bend to V’s will as he unleashed an onslaught of attacks imperceptible to your eyes save the telltale metallic glint of the blade. The giant warrior was on the brink of collapse, using his enormous sword to hold himself up.V approached the warrior, his steps slow and deliberate. He paraded his sword with a series of waves and twirls. 

“You fought well.”

V poised his sword against the dark knight’s chest.

“‘Some are born to sweet delight,’”he ran his blade all the way through, brackish blood flowed over its hilt and onto his hand,”’Some are born to endless night.’” V removed the sword in one fluid motion and Nelo Angelo dissipated into a cloud of blue smoke. It was over.

“How about that.”

You gasped softly, not expecting to hear Gilver’s voice. 

“Gilver! You shouldn’t move you—“

The man paid you no mind, getting to his feet. He looked fully recovered as though he had been merely winded from a run and not slashed in the side. He offered you a hand, turning his head away from you.Smiling, you took his hand and he pulled you to your feet.

“Thanks.”

“Yes... You too.”

He let go of your hand before crossing his arms. 

V made his way over to you, his hair still slicked back save for a few stray strands that tumbled over his forehead.His cheeks were slightly flushed and his body covered in a light sheen of sweat that highlighted his muscle tone.You tried not to blush and failed. He definitely noticed and looked down at you his eyes heavy lidded and seductive; smirk tugging at those full lips.He held out the blade to Gilver.

“I believe... that this is is yours.”

Gilver took the sword and returned it to its sheath. 

“I’m surprised you were able to finish him off.”

V regarded the man, something playful dancing behind those emerald eyes.

“‘I merely did what you would’ve done.’”

“‘How curiously true.’”

The two men chuckled lightly.You smiled, the show of camaraderie making you feel warm inside.Behind them, yet another mirror made its appearance.

“Hey, guys!”You pointed at the mirror,”You know the drill! Let’s go!”

V mussed his hair, the white strands falling back into their usual placement.

“Quite eager, aren’t you?” 

V’s tone was gently teasing.

“I-I guess I am.”

V gave you a brief pat on the head and you both made to leave. A gentle but firm grip on your arm made you stop in your tracks.  You turned, your eyes meeting Gilver’s piercing blue ones.

“I...” he looked away with a bit of a huff, “I actually will not be going any farther.”

“Oh?”

“Your journey is nearly finished.”

“I thought I needed to be tested? I haven’t done anything; it’s all been you and V—“

“Your strength was never on trial,” those steely blue eyes were back on yours, “But you knew this. You should not doubt yourself to this degree it’s... unbecoming.”

You pressed your lips into a hard line. He wasn’t wrong. You did have a tendency to play dumb when you didn’t trust yourself to be correct about things.

“I’ll try to work on that.”

Gilver reached into his pocket and pulled out out a golden pocket watch, the front encrusted with various jewels. 

“Here,” he took your hand and pressed the watch to your palm,”this will open your way forward.”

You considered the beautiful piece for a moment before tucking it away in a pocket of your own.

“Thank you, Gilver. For everything.”

Gilver waved his hand, brushing off your words of thanks.

You felt V’s hand on your shoulder.

“We should be going, Little Wren.”

Warmth crept up your neck and face, your stomach flipping at the nickname.

“Goodbye, Gilver.”

“Farewell.”

As you passed through the mirror you offered one last glance behind you. You had looked just in time to see Gilver’s bandages falling away, affording you the briefest of glimpses of the man’s face. You swear he smiled.


	9. Chapter 9

You were back in the courtyard and you immediately noticed that the crystal staircase extended to the bridge, now easily accessible. You rubbed your chin idly.

“Well, guess there’s no question about where we go next.”

“Indeed, our path is crystal clear.”

“Your puns are on another level, V.”

“I’m sure I have no idea of what you speak.”

“Reeeally?”

V chuckled.

“Shall we begin our ascension?”

He offered his hand. You smiled and  took it, your fingers laced firmly together. He lifted your hand to his mouth and planted a kiss there, lips as soft as silk.

“Let’s go.”

********

The spiraling climb of the stairs was a comfortable one.The staircase was gorgeous and invitingly wide; the steps were just the right width and height that climbing them didn’t feel like a chore. Every step you made produced a pleasant melodic chime. You could’ve stayed like that forever.The closer you got to the top, the more torn your feelings became. You didn’t want to think about how these very well could be your final moments of existence, instead wishing to savor every second but it was next to impossible; the sentiments were like two sides of the same coin. Soon, you reached the top, a platform stretched on before a lofty mirrored door with a circular depression in the center.

“This... is where we part ways.”

Your heart raced. You weren’t surprised that you had to go alone but, you had feared the notion anyway.

“I want you to know that you absolutely do not have to do this. My body... it will still be weak. This will only be prolonging the inevitable.”     

Your stomach twisted with dread.

“What—what do you mean? Are you—are you  _dying_?”

V grimaced, sucking air in through his teeth.

“One way or another, I won’t be walking out of that city. So,  _yes_. ”

Your heart wrenched.  You burrowed your face in your hands, unable to stop the hot tears from streaming down your face.

“I should have made that clear from the very first we met.But the way you looked at me with those admiring eyes... I liked it from the beginning.I didn’t want that to stop. I never planned on feeling... the way I feel for you. I should have restrained myself, never let things get this far. Foolish and selfish.Now I’ve hurt you...

‘He who shall hurt the little Wren 

Shall never be belov’d by Men.’”

You embraced him then, your tears slippery on his leather coat.

“It wouldn’t have mattered. Even if I knew all of this beforehand, I still would have been attracted to you, I still would have come to care for you.And if I had never gotten to kiss you, I would have spent the rest of my life regretting that I didn’t.Tomorrow is never a guarantee— for anyone.Your time is limited? Then I will cherish every second I get with you.Some of the most beautiful things in life are ephemeral. In the end, I will hurt no matter what so... don’t push me away. Don’t deny me the privilege of caring for you.”

His arms encircled you, his whole body trembling.

“I don’t wish to hurt you further.”

“Let me ask you this: we spent all this time together here and we both knew that I could be marching to my death. Did that make you more hesitant to get involved with me?”

He looked down at you, his sage eyes bearing into yours.

“No. Quite the contrary.”

“You see?”  You cupped his cheek in your hand.  He nuzzled into your touch.

“‘And we are put on Earth a little space, that we may learn to bear the beams of love.’”

You smiled, placing a chaste kiss upon his lips.

“I’m doing this, V.  I’m more determined than ever. Besides, I  _know_ you are instrumental in stopping Urizen. It’s worth doing for that reason alone.”

You pulled away from him then, taking Gilver’s pocket watch resolutely in your hand.You walked over to the door and clicked the watch into place. 

“See you on the other side.”

You made your way through the door without a second look back.

************

The view was breathtaking. You were in a field of multicolored grass, luminescent flowers of all shape,size, and color bobbed lazily in the sweet and pleasantly balmy breeze.The air itself was festooned with tiny sparkles of light, the sky a majestic spattering of every color you could think of.  In the middle of it all awaited what could only be Phantom.As promised, he was an enormous spider; his large body covered in shimmering black bristles interlaced with thick bands of orange that seemed to swirl and flow like magma.Eight purple eyes stared at you, vivid and glowing.

“So there you are—finally,”the spider’s voice boomed, “A wasted effort, however.I will not serve _this_ weakling  so think again if you believe I will bow to  you .”

He was intimidating, there was no denying it.  However, putting together all you had witnessed you knew Phantom was a part of V.  You  were determined to be accepting of V;  _all_ parts of him.

“If that’s the case, what’s the problem in simply moving over to me? You can continue to do nothing while inhabiting me.”

“It’s well... it’d be the principle of it.”

You could’ve sighed. Phantom was acting like an indignant child.

“Whose principles exactly are we talking about here?”

“Well, demons of course! If other demons saw me being subservient to a pissant like this guy, let alone a puny mortal like you... I’d be a laughing stalk!”

Oh, brother.

“Caring so deeply about what others think like seems an awful lot like subservience to me; albeit of a different kind.”

Phantom grunted.

“Bah! What would you know?”

“Quite a bit, unfortunately.”  You both went silent for a bit before you continued, “He’s dying, you know.”

“Yeah. So?”

“So, you’ll die too.”

“Gotta go sometime.”

“You could make things much easier for him.”

“You know he’d still die anyway, right?”

“Yes. I know.”

That seemed to catch the spider off guard.

“You would give up your life for a wasted cause like him?”

Your cheeks reddened.

“He is  _not_ a wasted cause!The only waste I see here is you!”

The arachnid demon laughed gruffly.“I see I got under your skin. You _love_ him, how pathetic.”

“I— it’s too soon to say that I _love_ him but... Yes, I care for him, romantically.”

“Oh, puh-lease. Semantics.” Phantom lifted his front legs in a shrug. 

You furrowed your brow, irritated.  Talking was getting you nowhere.  You stepped forward, rapidly approaching him.

“Stay back, girl!” Phantom hissed,”or things are gonna get real nasty!”As if to show he would make good on his threat, his body shone orange and he sprouted a scorpion tail, poising it for attack.To say it gave you no pause would be a lie.

“I just want to come closer!”

“And I _just_ want a million bucks. I said  no .”

“You know those two things aren’t even remotely related, right?”

“So?”

You inwardly face palmed.

“I’m coming over!”

“That eager for pain, huh? Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” 

You ignored him, continuing your march forward. Five feet away.

“Last chance!”

Two feet.

Quick as a whip, Phantom lashed his tail forward, the large stinger hurtling straight for your chest...

 

...stopping short, mere centimeters away. 

Shaking, you reached out and touched the spider’s head and in a flash you were transported.

*************

It was like an out of body experience; everything was dreamy and hazy. A series of scenes played out before you, each one bleeding into the next. Twin boys, both with stark, chalky hair racing one another;their laughter a tinny echo. The boys skipping rocks over water, playing with insects, climbing up a large tree; all skinned knees and smiles. 

The twins are a little older now, one now opting to have his hair swept back; they stand next to each other, asymmetrical.The boys spar in the yard, swords ringing.A blonde woman, living beauty and grace, approaches them with a serene smile.The boy with loose hair flings down his his sword and rushes into her arms, embracing her warmly. The other boy stands there, panting from exertion. 

Next you see the woman standing before them, teaching and instructing them.The boy with spiked hair listens attentively, hanging on her every word; the other looks bored, leaning his face onto his hand.

Now the twins are doing chores; the one with loose hair half heartedly cleans for a bit before goofing off, the boy with swept back hair goes about his tasks obediently.The woman walks in with gentle laughter, thanking the boys for their hard work and tells them she’ll finish up.The first boy cheers, pecking his mother on the cheek before running outside. The other boy leaves the room with a dour face, despondent.

You then see a sequence of  the spiky haired boy partaking in quiet, solo pursuits. Watching classic films in the parlor, reading and sketching in the drawing room, listening to records as he hugs his knees to his chest.

A kind, older gentleman gifts the young boy a handsome book of poems and the boy rushes home, steely blue eyes wide with excitement.He finds a spot on the couch in the drawing room and makes himself comfortable. He is readily familiar with William Blake’s works but he devours the pages like it’s his first time reading them.There’s something invigorating about reading the book knowing that it was his.  _His_.  His elation comes to an abrupt end when his book is snatched right out of his hands by his twin.

“Dante!  _Dante_ give it back, _please_.”

“Relax, would you? I’m just giving it a look!”

“Dante, it’s  _mine_ !  I  was _reading_ it!”

“Like you haven’t read it a million times! Besides, I don’t see your name on it!”

“My name  _is_ on it! Right inside the cover! Look for yourself!”

“Pfft! Whatever, you never want to do  _anything_ fun anymore, #%^*]}!Don’t see what’s so great about this book anyway!”

Dante callously throws the book onto the floor, some of its pages bending, and something within the other boy snaps.

He is on Dante in a second, punching him, the blow sending his twin spiraling to the floor.

“Why is it always like this with you, Dante?! _Why_?!”

Dante begins to cry, whether from pain or hurt feelings it’s hard to say. The boys’ mother comes rushing in, her gentle eyes widening in shock upon seeing Dante on the ground, his bottom lip split and bloody.

“}^*%#\\!  I am surprised at you! Look at what you’ve done to your brother!”

    “But Mother! You don’t understand he—“

“No buts!  I will hear no excuses! Go to your room, ^%#^*\\!”

The boy said nothing more and made to comply to his mother’s demand. He waited until his back was to her before he let tears of his own silently stain his cheeks.

Everything faded to white and it was like you snapped back into being. Nothing else existed in that blank white abyss save for you and the boy with swept back hair. He sat on the ground a short distance from you; knees to his chest with his arms folded on top, his face burrowed there as he cried softly.It hurt your heart to see the boy cry like that, so vulnerable and lonely.It occurred to you with a pang, that this boy was very likely V. Or Gilver. Or...

It didn’t matter.

You crouched down beside the boy.

“Hey, are you all right?”

You tried to keep your tone sweet but hopefully not patronizingly so.

The boy looked up with a start.

“I... am quite all right. Thank you.”

“I’ll take your word for it but, it’s okay if you’re not. You know... okay.”

Oh, woof. You were bombing this. You saw the boy’s lip twitch.

“You’re weird.”

“I am. You are definitely not wrong there.” 

“So, you saw all of that,huh?”

You pursed your lips as you let out a breath.

“Yeah...yeah,I _did_ see all ofthat”

“Was I wrong?”

The boy’s voice was small,timid.You rubbed your chin, thinking for a second.

“I mean, punching your brother, Dante?  That  was wrong. But your feelings? No, those were totally valid. “

“He’s just always like that! And Mother, she just doesn’t seem to notice.”

“It’s tough being a kid your age. It’s when you start to realize that your parents aren’t these perfect beings that you thought they were and that they’re just... people. With flaws and everything.  Your mother, I am sure she realizes what a pain your brother can be at times, she just doesn’t always know how to handle it. “

“She loves him more. I can tell.”

“No, no! I’m sure that isn’t the case at all.  Dante’s charming and exuberant but he seems like he is a bit of a handful.  You, on the other hand, seem a little more reserved. You are  so  well behaved and that’s your way of showing your mother that you love her, isn’t it?”

The boys cheeks turned pink.

“That’s... exactly right.”

You smiled.

“Your mother is probably so grateful that you are such a good listener. Maybe she does take that for granted a bit but I am certain she knows.  The quiet ways you show your love... maybe your mother is the same way? Maybe you are more alike than you realize. You can be loved differently but still equally.”

The boy’s blue eyes grew wide with realization. 

“You’re right! Thank you!”

The scene faded away and you found yourself back in front of Phantom.This was all getting a little disorientating to say the least.

“If only the real kid could’ve heard those words... Things would be quite fucking different that’s for sure.”The eight legged demon grunted, “Well, shit... I’ll go with you.”

You gasped at the spider, stunned.

“Wait, really?”

“Yeah, it’s getting pretty boring around here. Might be nice to stretch my legs.Besides, you raised some fair points and my power  _is_ taking its toll on this scrawny guy. Not that you will be much of an improvement but your vessel is made of slightly sturdier stuff.”

“Thaaanks? I think?”

“Bah! Don’t die, Girl!”

He touched a long leg to your shoulders and his body become a cloud of black shards.The shards embed themselves into you, the pain white hot like molten lava injected straight into your veins.

And then everything went dark.


	10. Chapter 10

Your eyes snapped open and it was abundantly clear that you were back in the real world. You blinked rapidly, your eyes felt sore and sticky.You sat up and groggily took stock of your surroundings. You were still in the rent-to-own shop, in the same bed you were in when you’d sat across from V. V was on a nearby couch, fast asleep. Outside, the sun was setting.

“______!” Griffon called out your name.You turned to see him perched on the headboard, “You’re awake! Was starting to think you were a vegetable!So, how you feel?”

You stretched a bit.

“Stiff. So... what happened?”

“Eh, not much to tell the truth. After V put on that entertaining performance for you, you collapsed.You were out for two days!”

Two days. But wait.

“I was inside V’s mind, with him. So, all of that must’ve happened in the matter of seconds in the real world.”

“That’s how those sort of things can work.”

“What a mind fuck.”

Griffon’s eyes glinted with mischievousness.

“Oh, ho ho ho... wouldn’t I bet!”

You blushed furiously.

“What? We didn’t—“

“Maybe not, but there’s no hiding  something  happened between you two. Romeo here has been beside himself with worry, looking after you with such care it could bring a tear even to my eye! But don’t worry, it hasn’t been at the expense of his own health or anything. After all, he’s no good to you or anyone if he’s too tired to move!”

Your heart thudded heavily in your chest, your body flooding with warm feelings for the dark conjuror.You wanted to march over there and embrace him, kiss him... But you were suddenly acutely aware of more pressing physical needs.

“Hey, Griffon?”

“Yes?”

“Could you... help me to the toilet?”

The bird cackled.

“Sure thing, girlie.”

************

You quickly took care of your business and now stood before the sink.Your legs were just a little wobbly now, but you were in no danger of collapsing. You turned on the water and proceeded to lean over and drink straight from the spout for what felt like 10 minutes straight.You looked in the mirror afterwards, affording yourself your first real look since you woke up.You were a bit pale, but no worse for wear. The biggest change was obviously the dark markings that danced along your torso. The tattoos covered the entire length of your arms and your shoulders. Theycovered just a bit of your chest and from what you could see, a bit of your upper back and shoulder blades as well.Your markings were very similar to V’s but dramatically less dense, the lines thinner, much more of your skin was visible in the gaps of your dark whorls.A spot on your chest, you mused, looked like a moth. It would take some getting used to to say the least.You decided to take this chance to freshen up.

***************

You exited the bathroom, feeling refreshed. V was awake now, and the moment he saw you he leapt to his feet, his long stride quickly closing the distance between you.  He held your face gently in his hands.

“______! You’re... all right.  It worked and you’re alive.”  He dropped his hands back to his sides, “ Forgive me, I... forgot myself for a moment.”

Your heart sank in disappointment. 

“How much do you remember, V?”

You chewed your lip. Moment of truth. He could easily deny remembering anything, true or not,and who would you be to rebuke him? He had an easy out, if he wished it.

“I... remember everything. What about you?”

A deep blush settled across your cheeks, despite yourself.

“Me too. I remember everything too, I mean.”

Smooth.

“But it’s okay if you,um, don’t want m—“

Your sentence was cut off by V’s lips on yours.  Every nerve ending in your body lit up, on fire.  You gasped, granting his tongue access to your mouth.  His movements were slow but passionate, tasting you deeply.  He curled one hand into your hair, letting the other trail down your back; his touch so feather light it made you shudder.  Feeling bold, you snaked your hands up underneath the front of his jacket, eliciting a throaty moan from the summoner. Reluctantly, V pulled away then, his eyes misty with lust.

“‘What was once only imagined is now proved.’”

His lips were red, bee stung. His face flushed, his breathing heavy.  You wanted him so badly.

“Woah. I thought things were gonna get X-rated there for a minute!” Griffon’s voice was dripping with amusement.

That’s right. You weren’t alone. You bit your lip, thoroughly embarrassed.  You felt V press up behind you, his breath hot against your ear.

“To be continued.”

His voice was half a whisper, halfa growl.He shot you a smirk as he sauntered passed you, rejoining Griffon in the showroom.You sighed and followed him, resisting the urge to retreat back to the restroom to take care of a different kind of pressing need.

***********

Too late in the day to do anything productive, you, V, Griffon and Shadow gathered around a display table while you and V feasted on pre-packaged beef stew—piping hot courtesy of Griffon—and only slightly stale bread. You washed it all down with cheap but still tasty Pinot Noir, which V had grabbed (along with everything else) while you were recovering.It was honestly the best meal you can remember having in recent memory. Conversation was easy and enjoyable. Griffon and V quipped and made jokes, even the aloof Shadow rubbed against your leg, allowing you to pat its head.Griffon had just finished regaling you with some juicy demon world gossip when V caught your eye, his expression not unpleasant but serious.

“Griffon, Shadow... there is a conversation I promised to have with _____.If you wouldn’t mind it terribly, it is one I’d rather have in private.”

“Is this ‘conversation’ going to consist of a lot of vowel sounds and phrases of the religious nature?”

V blinked at him, tilting his head to the side, face blank.

“Tough crowd! All right, Shadow and I will patrol. There hasn’t been very many demons in this area, most of them probably moved on.We won’t come back until you call us, and you’ll have that big lug Nightmare if you get into a real pinch. If anything happens to us, you’ll sense it of course. Well, come on Kitty, back to the grind!”

Shadow growled as if annoyed.

“Why, yes,  _Shadow_.  I know that,  _Shadow_.  “  The two were gone then, still bickering as they left.

You smiled and then looked over at V, his brows were slightly knitted and he fidgeted with the large silver ring that adorned his left middle finger. He was clearly nervous. He opened and closed his mouth several times before he leaned back in his chair, running his fingers through his hair with a sigh.

“First of all, I just wanted to say thank you for risking yourself like that. I know what you’ve said on the matter but... I know you did it largely for my benefit.”

You swallowed. You guessed there was no harm in admitting it.

“I just, well... you and the others had been protecting me and I guess I wanted to protect you back, in whatever way I could.”

“I appreciate it. Deeply.”

You nodded with a blush.

“Secondly, I wanted to suggest that maybe we... delay... getting you out of the city until Nero shows up. I could show you the ins and outs of your power, make it so you might be able to harness it in some fashion one day,” he sighed then,”When I say the words aloud I sound foolish, asking you to remain here in this hell with me...”   

You reached over and grabbed his hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“I _want_ to stay. Honestly, just the thought of Phantom and this new power is overwhelming so I’d love to be shown the ropes. Not to mention, this is where you are...”

“Little Wren, before you make any decisions I want you to hear the rest of my story. My origin.”

“Okay.”

He took a breath.

“Long ago, there was a demon by the name of Sparda who fought on the side of humans in a bloody war waged by demons.  Forever branded a traitor to his kind, Sparda opted to stay in the human world... eventually falling in love with a human woman. This woman would bear him twin sons; half human, half demon.  One of those sons is the man responsible for creating Urizen and subsequently... me.

That man, so foolish and misguided, had come to hate humanity and their perceived weakness; his _own_ humanity  most of all.That hatred was merely a scapegoat for his own self-loathing formed from his own weaknesses and failures that, in reality, had _nothing_ to do with being human.Nonetheless, he ruthlessly pursued power, anything and  anyone  that perished in this quest? Expendable; merely chattel.He threw away _everything_ that makes life worth living all while suffering defeat after defeat.His body was breaking down and so, in a last ditch effort to continue his miserable existence, he used the Yamato,a blade capable of separating man from devil, to cast off his humanity—his weaknesses—once and for all. “

“Those cast off parts... are you?”

“....Yes.”

You found this all surprisingly easy to digest. Minus the finer details of course, you had suspected the truth to be something of this nature. 

“So... do you have all of his memories? And do you view them as your own?”

“That’s hard to say.Some things I can remember, others... it’s more like fishing.As for whether I view his memories as my own? Yes and no.Some, like his childhood, feel like _my_ memories ; others it’s like I’m a bystander.”

“Do you think you and that man would recollect your memories in the same way?”

V touched his fingers to his lips, considering the question.

“It’s... hard to say. For some things? Possibly. For others I... am uncertain.Consider how you might look back on a bad memory for example. Maybe sometimes you’d feel sad, other times angry, and if you are feeling particularly  _optimistic_... you might view it as a lesson.A pity I will never get a chance to chat with him.”He laughed then, dryly.

“V, I think you need to forgive yourself to _some_ degree for that man’s actions.The horrible things he did, had nothing to do with you.He had suppressed his humanity, all the wonderful parts that make up you, to such a degree that it didn’t factor into his decisions at all.He may just as well have been Urizen.That man as a whole? I’m not sure if he is deserving of absolution but you? Yes.”

“I... am uncertain about all of that.”

“If you could go back, would you make the same decisions as that man?”

“No. Emphatically.”

“You see? I understand and admire you taking responsibility but, I am just saying... be easier on yourself. Judge yourself a bit more on your own merits, the experiences unique to you, V. “

“I... see what you are saying. I shall... attempt... to do so.”

“And V?  I still feel the same about you. “

“You do not find me... unnatural? Repellent? Half a man?”

Your heart thundered in your chest.  You got to your feet and took V’s hand in yours.

“Are you kidding me? Not at all.I look at you and I see a man. A kind, strong, handsome man.Human. A heart beats within that chest; I’ve felt it.”

The poet stood up then, and pulled you into his arms.

“Thank you,_____.  For everything. You’ve given me much to consider.”

“Thank you too, V.”

He looked down at you then, green eyes dark and smoldering. 

“I wish... to lay with you. Would that be... all right?”

Your heart raced and your stomach filled with butterflies.

“That would be _beyond_ all right. And... I’m on birth control, I’m protected for months to come.”

“Mmm... then let’s not waste any time.”

You all but ran to the bed, and V’s lips brushed against yours sweetly. He trailed a line of kisses downwards; against your jaw, down the slope of your neck; lingering at your nape. The feel of his lush lips against your sensitive skin was irresistible, and it sent chills throughout your entire body. He parted his lips slightly and gently sucked on your tender flesh, making you moan.V pulled back and removed your top with eager hands. Now topless save for your bra, the conjuror’s eyes swept up and down, admiring the view.He pulled off his lone fingerless glove and then began to unlace his black jacket...slowly; watching you through his thick lashes. 

“As I recall, you enjoyed the show before. How about an encore?”

His slender fingers moved meticulously but teasingly slow. He worked his tongue along his voluptuous lips, ending with a smirk, fully aware of just how sexy he was.  Releasing a noise that was half a moan, half a whine you began to touch yourself through your pants, almost without realizing it. 

V sped up his work then, the string pulling through the final eyelet. His black jacket slid to the floor, leaving his lean torso fully exposed to you, begging to be touched.You removed your bra then, breasts jiggling as you threw the garment to the floor. For the briefest of seconds V looked on at your naked breasts with an expression of awe that was almost innocent.It was quickly replaced by a look of hunger,however, as he gently pushed you onto the bed while kissing you, his tongue diving back into your mouth.After a few minutes he broke the kiss, moving on to your breasts, his lips brushing over an already pert nipple before taking it into his mouth.Your hips bucked upwards. The feel of his pillowy lips, the swirl of his hot, wet tongue was amazing. If you weren’t wet before you certainly were now.V continued this for a while; switching back and forth, one nipple in his mouth, the other fondled by his aristocratic hand, until you couldn’t take it any more, throbbing and soaked with need.

“V... please...”

You reached down then, removing your bottoms and panties in one fell swoop. Those green eyes of his widened as he sucked air in through his teeth.

“‘Those who restrain desire do so because theirs is weak enough to be restrained...’”

He quickly unfastened his belt and pulled down his pants, his sizable member springing into view.

“Oh, my god...”

Half a man your foot.  You really _did_ win some kind of cosmic lottery.

V smirked as he positioned himself above you, sliding his cock into your glistening mound all at once. He hesitated there, unmoving, as though savoring the mere feeling of being inside you.You flexed your walls around him and the groan it produced from the poet was nearly enough to make you come.He began his thrusts then, the roll of his hips slow and sensual.You received him well, wrapping your legs around him, moving your hips in time with his. V was vocal, oh was he vocal;all pants and moans—and you loved it.You placed your hands on his firm buttocks, pressing him harder and deeper within you. 

“Oh,_____!”

He picked up his pace then, his penetrations deeper and more powerful.Over and over. Your thighs trembled in pure ecstasy, his cock hitting just the right spot, your wetness drenching the both of you.

“______! _____....” your name is like a prayer on his lips, “I can’t... I’m going to...”

You reached your limit then, tightening around him as you moaned his name. His body tensed as he groaned through clenched teeth, coming deep inside you. He lingered, his cock twitching within you, his body shaking. He gave you a gentle kiss as he pulled out of you, rolling over and collapsing on to the bed.  He pulled you next to him and you rested your head on his chest, tracing the ashy lines of his faded tattoos; relishing the rhythmic thumping of his heart. He sighed contentedly.

“That... was quite beyond anything I have ever experienced.”

You smiled shyly. It just occurred to you that this was likely the first time V himself had ever had sex.

“Didn’t that man ever...?”

“At least once that I can easily recall but... it was impersonal; perfunctory.  I don’t think they even removed their clothing.”

Sheesh.

“Sounds repressed.”

“Indeed. He knows not of what he is missing out on. ‘The naked woman’s body is a portion of eternity too great for the eye of man.’  How true those words ring to me now...”

You blushed.

He stared down at you, his eyes clouding over with a renewed lust.  He sat up, slowly spreading your legs, positioning himself between them.

“Little Wren,” he licked his lips, “ I would love to make you sing again.”

You nodded. He lowered his head...

Sing, you did.


	11. Chapter 11

You spent a good portion of the night making love to V, trying every position you could think of, exploring each other’s bodies thoroughly.You had, after all, plenty of energy to burn off.By the time you were finished the both you were so worn out you could scarcely manage to put on clothes before V recalled Shadow and Griffon.You slept soundly the entire night in each other’s arms despite the May heat. 

When you opened your eyes in the morning, V was already awake, watching you with a peaceful expression. 

“Good morning,_____,” the poet greeted you with a genuine smile. You thought your heart would melt.

“Good morning, V.” You smiled brightly back at him.

There was a familiar flap of wings as Griffon flew over and perched atop the headboard.

“Well, aren’t you two  _just_ darling. Just reminding you that we’re here so,you know, you don’t start fucking each other’s brains out again.”

Chuckling,V bopped the chatty bird with a pillow.Griffon let out an indignant squawk. 

“Hey! Watch it there, pal!But really, I’m happy for ya, VeeVee!All grown up now!”

Your face got as red as a cherry. 

“How are you feeling?”V’s voice was silken, his eyes openly reflecting his concern.

You were fantastic.Your lady parts were pretty sore but in a good way, like the ache your muscles get after a good workout.

“Never been better.”

“That makes two of us,” he stroked your hair lovingly before continuing,”We should move on from this place today; look for any more survivors and start your training.”

You bit your lip.You were nervous, but also excited. 

“Can’t wait.”

Griffon laughed.

“Heh, me neither! It’s gonna be a riot seeing that bastard Phantom take orders from you, girlie!”

You ran your fingers over your marks, thinking about the arachnid demon.

“Yeah, about that... try to go easy on him, please Griffon? He’s very prideful...”

“I make no promises but, I’ll definitely try. Now, uh, before we do anything else the two of you seriously need to wash up. You smell like a whorehouse!”

It was your turn to hit the bird with a pillow.

***********

No longer concerned with immediately vacating the city,your little group headed towards the heart of Red Grave figuring it would be a likely spot to run into any survivors; if there were any more to run into.A steady influx of demons kept V, Shadow, Griffon and occasionally Nightmare busy but V took it all in stride.He instructed his familiars with unwavering confidence, finishing off his foes with panache.You had never been one to be turned on by violence but V was so self-assured, so quietly _badass_ in  the way he conducted himself it was hard _not_ to  find him sexy.You could scarcely tear your eyes from the supple poet; smitten.There was a definite spring in his step.This didn’t elude Griffon, either.

“You are in the _zone_ today, V! Getting rid of that free-loadin’ spider’s really done wonders! Or could it be getting a little somethin’,somethin’ from _____ has you extra motivated?” Griffon laughed heartily,”Gotta make sure you get laid more often!”

“I readily intend to see that that’s the case.”V smirked at you as he said this, and you blushed deeply; your stomach flipping and heart skipping a beat at his forwardness.

“Oh, geez! Thanks for the warning!” The bird cackled,”Guess I stepped right into that one! Well played, Shakespeare!”

“In all seriousness, we should find shelter for today.We will be in need of daylight if we are to commence with _____’s training.Best to do it out of doors.”

“You’ll hear no complaints from me!”

You grinned.

“That’ll be the day!”

“Quiet, you!”

*********

After a bit of scouting, you decided a small pizzeria would be your designated shelter for the night. After the relative luxury of the rent-to-own store it was a definite step back but it had all of the necessities: cushioned booths would serve for sleeping, restrooms with functioning plumbing and ,much like the bank you had slept in, the store front came equipped with a security shudder. Electricity still worked, albeit imperfectly.

With that matter out of the way, you stood outside with V; Griffon and Shadow dormant within the dark impressions on his skin .The street was wide and bare affording you plenty of space for training.

“We shall start with the basics, the first of which is, of course, summoning. It is far more simple than you might initially surmise; it’s comparable to opening and closing a door,” the poet outstretched an arm in demonstration.

“Open.” 

Shadow appeared in nearly an instant.

“Close.”

Shadow disappeared just as quickly.

“Open.”

Griffon and Shadow sprang into being simultaneously.

“The real challenge lies in substantiation, which I suspect _may_ pose a bit of an obstacle for you, _____.”

You sighed, feeling dejected.You weren’t expecting miracles, that’s for sure.

V reached over and stroked your chin with his thumb.

“Worry not, Little Wren.This is something we can work on.When speaking in terms of magic, many are under the false impression that it’s something you either have or you don’t; while the reality is that magic is something that can be built up and trained. While naturally possessing a great amount of power or an inclination for magic certainly does no harm, most anyone is capable of wielding magic under the right set of circumstances.I can say with certainty ______,that I sense a certain  _potential_ within you that,given the time and effort, will bear fruit should you wish it.”

You worked over what he said, biting your lip.

“I... want to be useful.I don’t want to let you down.”

V’s dark brow’s knitted together.

“Perish the thought.You will not let me down, no matter the outcome.I don’t want you to feel pressured into performing a certain way.As I have mentioned, these things take time. “

“Listen to Romeo on this one,Juliet; he knows what he’s talking about! The first time he summoned Nightmare he deadass fainted!” Griffon paused to squawk with laughter,” and he’s not exactly a regular human you know... She  _does_ know that right?”

V smiled wanly.

“She knows.”

“Everything?”

“All.”

“Woo, good, thought I stuck my foot in my mouth on that one.”

“Too talkative for that to have been the case, my friend.”

“Har  har !”

You couldn’t help laughing at the pair’s exchange.V looked over at you and laughed softly as well.

“Now, ready to try your hand at summoning Phantom, ______?”

You swallowed.

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Taking a cue from V, you reached out an arm and focused on “opening the door” for Phantom.  The next moment, your tattoos gathered into a cloud of dark shards and out sprang forth Phantom, in all his enormous glory. You smiled, triumphant, before falling to your knees, the spider gone nearly as quickly as he appeared.V rushed to your side and helped you back to your feet, bracing you against his shoulder.

“I’m... not strong enough.”

“Enough of that talk. That was an amazing first attempt. You mustn’t be needlessly hard on yourself. “

You sighed. He was right.

“You’re right. Putting my self down won’t change anything in any case. I think I want to try again.”

V ruffled your hair.

“That... is what I like to hear. Let’s try a different approach though.  Try summoning Phantom but make his form much smaller than it is naturally. Like so:”

V recalled Shadow ,held out his palm and sure enough,a miniature Shadow appeared.

“From this point, you can make him gradually bigger until you find a size that is manageable for you.The goal is not to feel any drain on your own energy; merely a tug, like you’re connected by an invisible string.”

V demonstrated once again by placing the tiny Shadow on the the ground and manipulating its size slowly until the cat reached its usual stature. 

You slowly exhaled and held out your palm.  You let yourself think about Phantom, and slowly but surely there he appeared in the palm of your hand, no larger than an apple.

“How humiliating,” the spider declared, his voice a mere squeak.

Griffon came undone, collapsing to the ground in a bout of laughter. So much for him trying to behave himself.

“Bwahahaha! How the mighty have fallen!” You shot the bird a death glare and he reigned it in a bit, still heaving from his laughter, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry! I-it was the voice that got me, I swear!”

You shook it off and closed your eyes; concentrating on slowly releasing more energy. You felt the spider expand, becoming larger and heavier with each second. He became too large for your hand and you felt him leap to the ground, but you opted to keep your eyes closed, wanting to focus on how you felt and not letting yourself get carried away with results.You slowly released the energy until at last you felt the tug that V had said would come.Nervously, you opened your eyes.Phantom stood before you, roughly the size of a Labrador. It was a start.

“Well done.”

V smiled at you, his eyes shining with pride. 

“Bah! Speak for yourself! Just look at me!” Phantom’s voice was now deep and rich but lacked the booming quality you knew it to possess. 

“Ha! No kidding! I’ve swallowed spiders bigger than you in my sleep!”Griffon taunted.

“Is that right? Well,  I’ve  seen spiders  _smaller_ than me eat birds  _bigger_ than you!”

“What a load of baloney! You talk a big game, glad to see that hasn’t changed!”

“Not baloney! It’s true! Let’s settle this, Mano e mano! Unless you’re afraid I’ll turn you into fried chicken!”

“Heh! As if! I’ll zap you like the little bug you are! Let’s do this!”

You looked over at V.

“Uh, should we maybe be stopping this?”

The summoner raised his brows, offering only an insouciant shrug in response. Your eyes trailed down to Shadow. It sat at V’s feet, idly licking a paw as though bored.

“Okay, then... Guess this is happening.”

Griffon opened with a barrage of lightening bolts which Phantom dodged, skittering to the left.The spider reared his back legs, sending a spray of needle like hairs at Griffon, which he narrowly managed to avoid.

“Oh,ho,ho! So the old dog learned some new tricks,eh?You’re not the only one!”

Griffon spread his wings back, releasing a small ball of electricity that floated slowly downwards. When it finally touched ground, it angled outwards into two horizontal bolts of lightning. Phantom leapt into the air, but wasn’t quite fast enough, one of the bolts skimming the tip of the spider’s lumbering hind legs.

“Haha! Gotcha!”

“Bah, that almost hurt! How ‘bout some of  this ?”

Phantom opened his mighty jaws and projected an impressive blast of fire at his feathered opponent.Griffon dodged to the right just a second too slow, his left wing singed by the burning flame.

The fight continued on in this fashion; the crackle of electricity and the sizzle of flame jarring and dissonant.

“I’m endin’ this!”

Griffon threw caution to the wind as he hurtled himself towards the arachnid, his body colliding heavily against him.Phantom had just enough time to bring forth his scorpion-like tail and lance Griffon as the raptor demon’s attack landed.In a a fog of black fragments, the demons were gone, two churning spheres of energy left in their stead.

You gasped in panic.

“What?! What the hell just happened?”

You turned to V, face contorted with worry.

“I had a... feeling... it would come to this,” V gave your shoulder a reassuring pat, “Fear not, this brings us to the next part of our lesson.If ever our demons are outmatched, they will wind up in the dormant state you see before you... a bit of a stalemate as it were.Given time they  will  recover but if you find yourself in a bind, you can expend a bit of energy to _hasten_ their  revival.”

V strolled over to the swirling orb that was Griffon and outstretched his hand, depositing his power. The whirling energy quickened then before imploding, Griffon once again taking his familiar form. You shrugged inwardly, supposing you should give it a shot as well.You approached the stalemated Phantom and held out your hand. Your energy effortlessly flowed into the dark orb; a byproduct,no doubt, of the connection you shared. In a matter of seconds, the spider stood in front of you, restored.You wobbled uneasily on your feet.

“I think... this is a good time to conclude your lesson.” V offered you his arm and you graciously accepted.

Griffon flew in front of you, flapping his wings rapidly to hover in place.

“What?! But our fight isn’t finished yet!” 

“Agreed. I am just getting started.”

V quirked a brow at the pair.

“That... is where you’re wrong. Your fight  is  finished; you tied.”

“ _Tied_?  Tied! I  landed more hits!”

“And  _I_ landed the last blow!”

Shadow let out a ferocious roar then, sharp teeth bared; its back a high arch and its ears flattened back. 

“Okay, Okay,  Okay,  Shadow! Simmer down, we were just playin’ around, isn’t that right, Leggy?”

“Too true, too true, Polly! No harm done, Pussycat!”

Shadow glared at Phantom. If looks could kill.

You laughed and looked up at V.

“Lively bunch, huh?”

He raised his brows, a small smile tugging at his lips.

“Quite the menagerie we have assembled.”

You leaned against him with a contented sigh.

*********************

After a bit of rest, you rummaged through the pizzeria’s small kitchen. In one of the still functioning freezers you found a small, pre-assembled pepperoni pizza frozen there. You grinned wryly to yourself.Signs hanging inside and outside the shop had promised that their food was “fresh” and “authentic”; so much for that. The electricity to the ovens wasn’t working but, as luck would have it, off in the corner there was an old fashioned pizza kiln: just add fire. 

“Hey, Phantom!” 

You called out for your familiar, expecting him to walk back into the kitchen. Instead, he materialized right in front of you, so unexpected it sent you reeling.

“Fucking shit!”

“Yeah, not exactly pleased myself, you know,” the spider grumbled,”if you really want me somewhere, I don’t exactly get a choice in the matter.”

You made a mental note of that. You would have to be careful.

“I’m sorry, Phantom. Really.”

“Bah, whatever. So, what did you want?”

You smiled timidly, suddenly feeling silly about the favor you wanted to ask.

“Um... do you think you could fire up this kiln?”

The demon blinked all eight eyes at you.

“No.”

You stuck out your lip in an exaggerated pout.

“Oh, come on. This is  _nothing_ for you.”

“Precisely. It’s beneath me.”

You resisted the urge to roll your eyes.

“Well, I guess I will go ask _Griffon_ for help, I’m sure he can probably get a fire going with his electricity. He’s really so  reliable.  V and I are lucky to have such a  _capable_ demon like him around.”

“Now, wait just a minute... I supposeI can help you out with this just so long as you don’t get into the habit of making me play scullery maid.”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

******************

With Phantom’s help you were able to get the kiln running and it no time at all the pizza was ready.You easily located a pizza cutter and cut the pie before carrying it out on a serving tray along with two plates.V sat alone at booth, hunched over his book, absorbed totally in Blake’s words.Griffon, Shadow, and Phantom occupied a booth of their own; Shadow curled up comfortably on one side with Griffon perched right above and Phantom wedged on the other side, his front legs resting on the table.The sight was absurdly comical; reminding you of that painting of dogs playing poker. Biting back a smile, you sat the tray down on the table in front of V, the soft clatter catching the man’s attention. He cocked a brow at you.

“This is... unexpected.”

“Is it really, though? We’re in a pizza place.”

Griffon guffawed.

“She got you there, V!”

You sat across from V, smiling. 

“Sorry for teasing you, I can’t help myself sometimes.”

V merely smirked at you, something unreadable dancing behind those mossy eyes as he tucked his book away in his jacket.You fidgeted a bit before clearing your throat.

“Well, it’s hardly 4 star dining but it’ll surely beat the pants off what we have been eating.”

“To be sure,” V chuckled a bit, “It’s funny... I thought I had already eaten the last pizza I would have in this lifetime. Seems I was mistaken.”

You cocked an eyebrow at the conjuror as you placed a couple of slices on your plate.

“So you’ve had pizza before?”

“For nearly two weeks I stayed with Dante,the man I hired to defeat Urizen. More evenings than not, we had pizza.”

You grimaced at his words.

“Oh... do you not like pizza? “

He gave you a sardonic look.

“This would certainly be a choice time to be picky about food.”

“Well, I know but...”

You bit your lip, face brightening.

“I would eat whatever you would make for me,_____,apocalypse or no.  But, to answer your question, I do in fact like pizza. Quite more than I would have imagined.  I would often eat Dante’s leftovers and the look on his face was... amusing.” V sniggered in remembrance.

“Hahaha! _Fun_ times !”

Griffon jeered.

Dante... It occurred to you that you never told V about what you saw when you touched Phantom.It didn’t seem right to hide it.

“Dante... he’s your brother, huh?”

“Ah, so you know.”

You rubbed the side of you neck, feeling sheepish.

“Yeah... I didn’t mean to hide it from you.When I was in your mind with Phantom, I saw a bit of your childhood.Nothing major; just some moments.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Little Wren.All the same... thank you for sharing what you know.”

“Dante...kind of a brat, huh?”

That familiar smirk tugged at V’s lips.

“Isn’t he just?”

**********

The two of you made quick work of the pizza, V devouring the majority with your blessing.Seeing him so happy partaking in something so  _ordinary_ tugged sharply at your heart strings.You felt the sadness about your lover’s fate creeping in, but you promptly beat it back.“Be sad later” was your new, personal mantra.You recalled Phantom, agreeing it would be for the best considering everything was still so new to you.V pulled down the store front’s security shutter, his muscles rippling attractively with the effort.When he turned back towards you, you noted that his tattoos were dark again; Shadow and Griffon dormant within them.You shot him a quizzical look, but the seductive set of his features all but answered your questions.His lips were a velvet crush against yours and his right hand gave your bottom a firm squeeze before he lifted you onto the now bare table.

“You spoke earlier of teasing? Well, I like it when you tease me... and I think you shall come to find...that I quite enjoy teasing _you_ as  well...”

V was nothing if not a man of his word. You were in tears before he was through; the most delicious you had ever shed.


	12. Chapter 12

The following week was spent very much like the days preceding it:you’d scour the city for survivors during the day, find a place to take shelter, train, eat and then “turn in early.”You lived for those nights. You loved pleasing him; your hands and mouth all over his body and his all over yours; you loved feeling him inside of you, loved how you could make each other come undone over and over.Afterwards, you would hold each other and just talk about anything and everything that came to mind.Right now was one of such moments.

You had taken refuge inside a small outdoor equipment specialty store. The two of you lay on the floor on an air mattress, not a shred of clothing between you.It was June now and the night was hot and uncomfortably humid; your earlier activities proved only to exacerbate this fact.The night was also a clear and uncommonly bright one, although it was assuredly ten o’clock or later you could see clearly without the aid of any extra light source.V lay on his stomach, his head resting atop his folded arms.The way the moonlight and shadows played upon his body made him look irresistible.You couldn’t keep yourself from staring, a fact that didn’t slip by the raven haired man unnoticed. 

“I’m likely to catch fire under such a gaze, Little Wren.”

“Sorry, it’s just... You ever see something you love so much, you just want to burn into your retinas so you can see it all the time?” 

He raised his brows at you.

“You have quite the flair for the dramatic.”

“Oh, that’s rich coming from you!”

V had a small, oval patch of skin along the lower curve of his spine that was completely free of his markings.You bent over and planted a firm kiss there, much to the summoner’s delight, before settling down beside him.He propped his head up on his elbow and idly began playing with your hair. 

“All jokes aside, to answer your question, yes.I look at you and I want to want to commit it all to memory... every curve, every line.”

You grinned, blushing.

“There’s a few curves and lines I wouldn’t mind you leaving out.”

“Every. Curve. Every. Line.”

He kissed you as he said this and you both laughed as he lay back down, pulling you against his chest.

“I hate this part, V. Going to sleep.”

He held you tighter as he planted a kiss on top of your head.

“Me too.”

*************

The following day was surprisingly easy going. Your small group was able to walk unhindered, but this didn’t make you feel secure; quite the opposite.You voiced your feelings as such and found yourself in good company.

“Yeah, no kiddin’, missy. Ever hear of the calm before the storm?Gives me the creeps!” Griffon addressed you from his perch on V’s shoulder, ruffling his feathers as though shaking off a cold chill.

“In the eye of the hurricane,” Phantom chimed in in a rare moment of agreement with the feathered demon.He walked deftly beside you, now roughly the size of a Saint Bernard as a result of your diligent training.

Shadow—who had been trotting several paces ahead— stopped suddenly; regarding V with those blazing red eyes.Confident that it had the conjuror’s attention it looked over to the left at a still operational phone booth.

“I see... I believe I catch your meaning, Shadow,” V leaned on his cane a bit, his slender fingers combing through his dark locks, “It has been... a while...since I’ve checked in with Nero.”

V made made his way languidly over to the phone. He reached into his jacket, retrieved a coin, and dispensed it there before promptly dialing a number.The phone rang out only a couple times before someone on the other line picked up.

“Devil May Cry.”

You could hear the speaker perfectly, whether from the phone’s volume being turned up high or the person on the other end just being a loud talker it was hard to say.The voice was distinctly masculine and young so you assumed that it was likely the aforementioned “Nero.”

“It’s me. Just thought I’d... check in.”

“V? V! Wow, surprised to hear from you, I gotta say!Glad to hear you’re still kickin’! How’s the chicken?”

“Kicking more demon ass than you are right now, that’s for sure!”

“Tch!Just you wait, you’ll be eating my dust soon enough!”

Griffon merely squawked, leaving his perch on V’s shoulder in favor of the top of the phone booth.

“So... how go your preparations?”

“Nothing concrete yet but Nico? She’s working on it. Probably not what you wanted to hear but we’ll make it, one way or another, by the 15th.”

You hear a slight shifting in the background before a woman began speaking, her voice a long southern drawl.

“V, is it? I’m workin’ on it! You can’t rush genius! It’ll be worth the wait, that I can guarantee!”

“‘I was walking among the fires of Hell, delighted with the enjoyments of Genius; which to Angels look like torment and insanity.’”

“Say what now?”

There was more rustling as Nero presumably grabbed back the phone.

“Sorry about that! In any case, that’s where we are, V.We’ll get the sunnuvabitch, I promise!”

V smirked into the phone.

“See you soon.”

“Yeah. Later.”

V hung the phone back on the receiver with a click.

“So they sounded... energetic,”

You couldn’t conceal the mild amusement in your voice as you thought of all the loud personalities that seemed to surround V, “it seems you you attract a certain type, huh?”

He gave a shrug.

“For better or worse.”

A thought suddenly occurred to you. “So V, what happened to Dante?”

“It’s difficult to say with certainty; he clashed with Urizen from within the Qliphoth a few weeks ago and although he was defeated, he was not yet dead.His fate is up in the air for now.”

“Schrödinger's Dante, huh? Well, I hope he’s okay.”

“That would be for the best... yes.” V’s voice was perfectly calm as he said this, but the muscle in his jaw twitched. You knew his feelings towards Dante were complicated at best.

“So, June 15th? That’s... less than two weeks from now.”

You had wrestled with yourself about bringing it up but things were coming to an end, whether you chose to acknowledge it or not.

V’s green eyes softened.

“Indeed.”

You embraced him, holding him tightly as though that would be enough to defy fate itself.

“______, I—“

Using the lapels of his jacket, you pulled V towards you, his words lost as you pressed your lips against his.  His hands cupped your face as he leaned into the kiss, his tongue gingerly exploring your mouth.  You decided it really was worth the pain that would inevitably come. ‘’Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.’

The moment between you was interrupted, however, when you heard a noise that sounded suspiciously like the clicking of a camera shutter. The pair of you turned your heads toward the sound and sure enough, several yards away stood a man with sandy blond hair, camera in hand. 

“Shit.”

His eyes widened and he turned on his heel, ready to make a break for it.Griffon was already on the move and snatched the expensive looking camera from the man’s grasp effortlessly as he glided overhead.He returned over to V and dropped the camera in poet’s hands.

“Ah, c’mon! Be careful with that!”

Shadow circled around the man, emitting a low growl as if in warning.

“I’m a— I’m a journalist! Jeffery Turner from the ‘Occult Times!’ I didn’t mean anything by it, it made for a compelling shot is all!”

Scrolling through his other photos certainly corroborated his story; pictures of the Qliphoth, streets and buildings ruined and warped by the gnarled roots. The shot in question _was_ beautifully  dramatic but it made you blush a bit to see such an intimate moment captured like that.   V’s dark brows furrowed, frowning. He clearly wasn’t amused.  He wound back his arm, ready to destroy the camera but you reached out gently, stopping him in his tracks.

He considered you, his viridescent eyes searching. 

“It’s okay, isn’t it?No harm done,”you appealed to him, your tone slightly bashful.

“The circumstances don’t really excuse such an invasion of privacy. I couldn’t care less about such matters regarding myself but it’s a different story when it comes to you, Little Wren.”

“I understand how you feel V, I do but... in the end I guess I understand his sentiment as well. And it really is a lovely photo.”

V lowered the camera to look at the picture once again.His throat bobbed. “It is.” 

V outstretched his arm and dangled the camera by its strap; a wordless offer to the man. Jeffery graciously took the camera with a sheepish grin plastered on his face.   He appeared to be in his early thirties with deep brown eyes, wide and alert.  His blond hair was cropped short and he dressed simply in a t-shirt, shorts and trainers; practical. He wasn’t unattractive but, understandably, was looking a bit worn out.

“You shouldn’t stick around here,” V said to him, “Allow us to escort you out of the city.”

“Thanks but... I’m not quite ready to go yet.”

Griffon landed on V’s shoulder with an incredulous squawk. 

“On second thought, break the camera! Guy’s a lunatic, don’t give him a reason to stay!”

“I’m inclined to agree...” V hummed, staring down the reporter with an unimpressed look.

“Wait! Wait! I’m not a _complete_ moron, look,” Jeffery held up his hand imploring V to give him a minute while he dug through the black leather duffle hoisted over his shoulder.He pulled out a shotgun and handed it to V, “Now, I know what you might be thinking... but this is  no ordinary shotgun! It came to me about a year ago, I heard a name; Goldstein. Couldn’t for the life of me remember where I heard it before then it hit me; Nell Goldstein, a famous gunsmith.This shotgun isn’t one of her originals but it _was_  modded  by her for a man named Tony Redgrave who, word on the street is used to kill demons!I bought this on a whim at the time but, I’m getting use for it now!”

“Surely you realize that a weapon in the hands of professional is hardly the same weapon in the hands of an amateur.” V handed the gun back to Jeffery, his voice cool.

“I know that, I mostly just run when I come across a demon. But I can’t leave so soon. I haven’t fully captured the situation here yet.”

Griffon and Phantom both laughed.

“It’ll likely be the last thing a puny mortal like you will ever do, you know!Someone will be picking that camera off of your corpse!” Phantom waved one of his massive legs for emphasis.

“I’m prepared for that.Some things are worth the risk,” passion smoldered in Jeffery’s dark eyes, “I thought my work as a journalist was all but over; my spark was gone and I was phoning it in. But something about all this, just _called_ to  me.I feel it’s my duty to make people see,  really  see what’s going on here. If the people don’t see then they will forget, and they forget too easily dammit!Something like this happened in Redgrave decades ago, but there’s barely a trace that it ever happened! I know my work won’t reach many, but the people that it does? I want it to have a real impact on them, I want them to remember.”

“If you’re really that determined, then at the very least let us be your guide.Your work means nothing if it never makes it out of the city.”

“Whaaaaaaat?!”

Griffon was beside himself.You beamed at V; his decision surprised you but nonetheless made you happy. Maybe Jeffery _was_ foolish  but you understood where he was coming from. Besides, you were hardly in a position to be critical.

“Thank you.I’ll try to make my work quick,” Jeffery held his hand to his chest before continuing,”Now that that’s settled I finally feel like I can say it: a big talking bird, a giant talking spider, and a panther...on a normal day I would’ve pissed myself.”

Griffon cackled.

“Well, I hope you packed your brown shorts because you haven’t seen Nightmare yet!”

***************

Making use of the lull in the action, Jeffery asked to take photos of the familiars.The prospect was highly attractive to Phantom and Griffon, who were always up for a little ego stroking.Shadow, ever the aloof one, declined in its usual manner: dissipating back into V’s dark markings.

“I am usually _much_ bigger than this!” Phantom bellowed,”But  _somebody_ can’t handle me in all my magnificent glory.”

You smiled coyly at your arachnid companion.

“Size isn’t everything, you know.”

“Bah! Ridiculous! It indeed accounts for a lot!”

“Wouldn’t have pegged you for a size queen, Phantom.”

“What?  Queen  you say? You are dumber than I thought,______! I know not of what you speak but surely you meant to say size  _king_.”

This sent you, Griffon and Jeffery doubling over in laughter at the sheer absurdity of the exchange.

“What?  What?  I demand to know what is so funny.”

Griffon cackled.

“We’ll tell you when you’re older, champ.”


	13. Chapter 13

After Jeffery snapped a few photos your group walked on, filling the monotony with conversation.You got Jeffery up to speed on the basics of the Qliphoth and Urizen, but mostly you wiled away the time with small talk,Jeffery pausing every now and then to take an occasional photo.The day was winding down, so you all decided it would be best to find a place to take shelter.Ultimately, you found the public library would suit your needs well enough; there were several comfortable couches placed throughout the building and the water still worked in the men’s restroom.The only problem that presented itself were the three Qliphoth roots that had burst through one of the far walls, writhing and thirsty for blood.

Griffon and Shadow readied themselves for attack, more than capable of making short work of the roots but V held out an arm, stopping them 

“Hey, V, what gives?”

Griffon landed on top of a bookshelf and cocked his head to the side, impatient.

“This is a perfect opportunity to further teach ______ on how to handle Phantom,” V leaned on his cane before continuing,”Qliphoth roots are relatively weak and demonic only in origin so Phantom will be able to destroy them entirely on his own. What I want you to do,_____, is to try choosing Phantom’s moves for him. Being apart from the action will, given time and practice, give you a different perspective and allow you to act as Phantom’s guide. You’ll be able to spot attacks and predict the flow of battle in a way that Phantom never would be able to while in the thick of combat.”

You rubbed the back of your neck and chuckled.

“Yeah... I’m not too certain about all of that...”

“You will. With time. Don’t worry about trying to impress anyone.”

Griffon fluttered down from his spot on the bookshelf and landed on V’s shoulder and trained his strange yellow eyes on you.

“In complete seriousness, I’m impressed you lived through the transfer and are doing as well as you are,” Griffon gave an amused squawk,”Besides, nobody’s born a badass—well except for us, but we kinda cheated!”

Behind Griffon’s smart mouth and gruff exterior, he really was a total softie. You gently stroked the raptor’s beak. It was cool and ridged beneath your touch and large enough that you used your entire hand.

“You’re actually quite the sweetheart, Griffon.”

“I _am_ pretty ,sweet aren’t I?”

“Pure molasses.”

You turned then to Phantom, “Well, you willing to cooperate?”

The spider grumbled.

“I suppose so.”

“Thank you,”you told him and truly meant it,”Here goes nothing then.”

V put his hand on your shoulder.

“Make sure you really get in close.Blasting them from afar won’t teach you anything.”

“Roger that.”

You concentrated on Phantom and the Qliphoth roots as you willed the eight-legged demon to move in close.  The roots were clustered so tightly together that to be in range of one was to be in range of them all. You chose the left most root as your initial target and thus commenced the battle.  You made Phantom blast at the root, finishing it quickly. The root farthest to the right was already moving in for a strike and you barely managed to have Phantom dodge in time, only for the second root to strike as well.  You were close to panicking when you remembered Phantom’s unusual tail, the thought summoning it forth to successfully parry the root’s piercing lance, staggering it in the process.  Wasting no time, you had Phantom blast at the root to the right just as it was beginning to wind up for another attack, effectively destroying it.  The remaining root was just starting to recover but you didn’t afford it that chance, finishing it with a few sharp hits from Phantom’s stinger.

The fight was over and you were flooded with relief but it wasn’t as sweet of a feeling as you were expecting, embittered by mental exhaustion and the heavy weight of responsibility.Taking Phantom’s well-being into your hands like that made you realize he had every reason in the world to not want to fight for you. 

“______? Are you all right?You did well,” V rubbed your back as he said this, his voice soft and tender.

“I feel okay, but...” you let out a shaky breath,”I’m really feeling the full gravity of this power, you know? I could get Phantom hurt or worse...”

V faced you, putting a reassuring hand on your shoulder.

“It can be difficult in the beginning, true enough, but rest assured Phantom is in no real danger so long as you yourself are safe.Think of it like chess; you are the King andPhantom is your Knight.”

“A Knight may as well be a pawn if the person playing doesn’t know what they are doing,”you glowered.

“That’s why I am teaching you what I can, Little Wren,” V sighed,”You are expecting too much from yourself too quickly. I have decades worth of practice and experience in battle; you...are new to all of this.”

“If you gave me _five_ decades I still wouldn’t be able to match you.”

V’s hand dropped back to his side.

“And I envy you that!” His face was hard, his tone biting,”You know full well the price he... that  _I_ paid for this power.”

V’s eyes shone like deep pools of melancholy, whatever anger that had been there burnt away, “I... wish to be alone.” He stalked away then, disappearing amongst the aisles of books.

You really stepped in it this time.

You looked over at Jeffery and the familiars and they all sheepishly avoided your gaze.  Jeffery cleared his throat before tucking away a notepad he had been writing in.

“Sorry that I stuck around for that.  I had sort of a deer in headlights moment.”

“I should be the one apologizing to you. I’m embarrassed for arguing in front of you like that.”

Jeffery shrugged.

“I think you get a pass for not minding your P’s and Q’s during an apocalypse.”

You smiled weakly at him.  Jeffery let out a breath while nervously drumming his fingers on his thighs.

“Well, I saw a couch over by some magazine racks. Think I’ll bunker down there for the night, I’m kinda beat.”

You nodded.

“Of course. By all means.”

Griffon’s hefty weight was suddenly upon your shoulder, his voice noisy in your ear.

“Great idea! Me and Shadow will keep ya company!” The lustrous bird then addressed you, “Don’t sweat what happened just then, Juliet.Give Romeo some space, then go find him and work things out. It’ll be fine.” 

“Thanks, Griff.”

Griffon took wing from your shoulder and began to follow Jeffery, Shadow slinking reluctantly behind. 

“Demon animals keeping me company... That’s not something I ever expected even given my line of work.A story to tell my grand kids...” Jeffery gave a faint laugh.

“Hah! Bold of you to assume a woman would let you impregnate her!”

“Ouch! Harsh...”

“Bwahahaha!”

You watched the trio until they were out of sight, obscured by various kinds of bookshelves.Phantom, you noted, was still nearby.

“You’re not going with them? You’re going to miss happy hour.”

Phantom scoffed.

“Maybe in a minute. I wanted to talk to you.”

The sincerity in the spider’s voice caught your attention.Not unlike his appearance, Phantom’s personality had a tendency to be quite prickly. As the days ticked by, you hadn’t really felt yourself getting closer to him like you had the others.

“Now, don’t read too much into this but, I felt like I should thank you,”Phantom stopped for a second before continuing,”A-again! Don’t read too much into it, I just appreciate not being treated merely like a tool. So thanks.”

You were honestly pretty shocked and genuinely touched. You knew how much his pride must be aching from saying such words to you.

“Thank you as well. For fighting for me and for trusting me when I, frankly, don’t deserve it.”

His body shook with his booming laughter. “You’re as green as a sapling in spring, that’s for damn sure but... I’m no stranger to being used as little more than a disposable resource. Someone who thinks like you might be worth trusting in. Someday. Maybe.”

It was a Herculean effort to keep from smiling. The corner of you mouth twitched upwards.

“Stop. Don’t smile.”

The spider’s words were your undoing, a large dopey grin spilled across your face, your eyes bright with affection.

“Stop smiling! I-I forbid you to smile!” He waved a large arm at you dismissively, “Bah! I’m gonna go make fun of that blond guy!  Go show those puppy dog eyes to your goth boyfriend!”  With that he skittered off, leaving you more alone than you had been for the past month.

You smiled to yourself for a little while longer until your thoughts inevitably drifted towards your dark haired lover.Replaying the exchange in your mind you realized you had said some thoughtlessly insensitive things. You couldn’t believe you had the audacity to moan about having decades to improve when V’s time was running out. Fast.It wasn’t that you had  forgotten — how could you?— it was more that you had let yourself get too swept up in the moment, too focused on your own perceived inadequacies;a moment of twisted self-centeredness. You sighed.You  wanted  to go find V and immediately apologize but, you decided to wait; give him more time to himself and give yourself more time as well. You didn’t want to approach him still feeling sorry for yourself. 

You meandered over to one of the many bookshelves.A large sign suspended above declared the section to be ‘Romance’, the lettering looping and elegant.Rows and rows of paperback novels stretched before you, the majority of them of the corny and ‘bodice-ripper’ variety.Your mood brightened a little.These books always had the _best_ titles  and the funniest blurbs on back.You looked at some at random. _Inferno Nights_ was pretty standard fare; a fireman decked out in his equipment save his top, his chiseled abs oiled up and glistening. ‘So Hot it Should be Issued a Fire Hazard’ read the tag line. You snorted. _Amorous Assassin_ ’s cover had a handsome blond man in a black suit standing behind a gorgeous red haired woman; one of his hands lightly held her slender neck while the other encircled her waist; her ample bosom all but spilling out of her black cocktail dress.‘Read and Be Gripped’ the tagline promised. The blurb on the back was fairly mundane but the assassin character’s name, ‘Maxim Payne’, left you in stitches.You pulled out a few books, all equally cheesy until you came to another that really caught your eye.The cover of  _Moonlit Echoes_ sported a brooding man with long black hair, attractively disheveled. His billowing black shirt was completely unbuttoned, his well toned midriff awash with moonlight.You laughed heartily, he reminded you a little of V.You flipped to a random page and began to read: 

_ ‘ Cassian knelt in front of Lilias, his  blue eyes electric as he looked up at her.  
_

_“You are truly a goddess,”Cassian said huskily,”and I am but a devout follower on my knees. Let me worship at your altar...”_

_His hands made his way up Lilias’s thighs and—‘_

You snapped the book shut.Now wasn’t the time for that.Your eyes skimmed over the summary on the back before you re-shelved it.‘ _The last vestiges of Cassian’s humanity are fading away...’_

The words rubbed your heart raw. You needed to find V. 

**************

You made a beeline for the poetry section thinking that it would be the most likely place to find the verse connoisseur.You rounded a corner, your assumptions rewarded with the sight of V.He sat on the floor slightly hunched with a book in hand, one of his legs slightly bent, the other fully extended; the aisle just wide enough to accommodate the entire length of his leg.His cane rested to the left of him, a short stack of books piled to his right.He looked so natural sitting there amongst the books, like this was precisely where he was always meant to be.Your heart throbbed with adoration.

“I always found it a bit... _ironic_ that  you inadvertently quoted John Keats to me all those days ago,”he spoke to you without looking up from his book,”unknowingly quoting the words of one doomed man to another...what are the odds?”

V flashed you a rueful grin.You timidly sat down beside him.

“V, I am so sorry. What I said was so self-centered and insensitive. I am such an idi—“

_Thump_.  Your words were cut off by V giving you a light tap on the head with his book. 

“I accept your apology, but only if you stop berating yourself.”

You smiled softly, “All right. Deal.” You gave him a swift peck on the cheek as you settled in closer to him, a sense of comfort sweeping over you. 

“Say, V? May I read  _your_ book? You know, the William Blake one?”

Affection swam in V’s green eyes.

“Of course,” he reached into his jacket and pulled the book from his inner pocket, handing it to you. You received it with both hands, treating the tome with an odd sort of reverence.You fingered the detailing on the front, completely in awe.You opened to the first page and read:

‘ _The Complete Works of English Romantic Poets: An Anthology_

_Volume V: William Blake’_

“So, this isn’t the book you received as a child, is it?”

“No... this was part of my father’s collection.He was a lover of human culture and fine arts.”

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree then.”

V smiled. 

“I...wanted to apologize for letting my emotions get the better of me. What upset me most isn’t what you’d expect.There have been times when you remind me of...myself. My old self.It... makes me frightened to think of you going down even a remotely similar path that I did.I guess that fear expressed itself as anger... I’m sorry.”

You stared down at the book in your hands for a minute, reflecting on V’s words. While you weren’t sure how you felt about his admission, you were incredibly happy that he chose to open up to you. 

“Water under the bridge, V.Thank you... for telling me.”

“‘I was angry with my friend; I told my wrath, my wrath did end.’”

You laughed.

”Hey, that’s the first poem in the book.” You pointed at the page in front of you.

The summoner smiled warmly.

“So it is.”

***************

The two of you continued to sit in a peaceful quiet, both of you reading your respective books.Occasionally, you could hear the muffled laughter of the others coming from the far side of the library and you’d share a brief look with your lover, the both of you chuckling. 

After a while, V stood up and stretched his back.

“Pardon me, I just need to stretch a bit.”

You looked up at the poet. From your spot on the floor his height was absolutely towering.A naughty idea entered your mind. Did you dare?You got up on your knees and gave V your best attempt at a seductive look.

“I am but a,um... devoted follower on her knees before you,”you ghosted your hand over the silver buckle of his belt,”please, let me worship at your altar.”

V was speechless. A myriad of emotions burned behind those sage eyes, his cheeks blooming a delicate shade of pink.Seeing him blush was a major turn on.You tentatively unfastened his belt and then locked eyes with him, awaiting his consent.His eyes bore into yours and he nodded. Heart thudding in your chest, you pulled down his pants and were greeted by his semi-erect cock. God, you loved it.You worked it a bit with your hand before taking it into your mouth. V released a throaty exhale. You started off nice and easy; applying a firm, even pressure asyou sucked on his length, your head bobbing at a slow and steady tempo.You inwardly beamed as you felt him grow larger,hotter, and harder inside your mouth;his erection rapidly reaching its apex under your loving ministrations. He groaned as he tossed back his head, gripping the shelf in front of him for support.You sped up your motions then, taking in as much of his considerable size as you could manage.V’s moans came more freely now, his hips gently rocking against the movements of your mouth.Just when you though V was about to come, he surprised you by stopping you and pulling you to your feet. 

“May I take you?”he asked, his voice trembling. There was a hardness in his eyes that you’d never seen before. It excited you.

“Yes,” you breathed.

He spun you around, pulled down your bottoms, and took you from behind with staggering force, leaving you to grip the shelf for balance this time. He fucked you at a punishing pace, each thrust noisy with your dripping arousal.His body tensed and he let out a guttural moan, grinding his hips against your ass as he spilled his seed deep inside you.“I can keep going,” he promised, his lips brushing the shell of your ear, making your whole body quiver. Continue he did, his thrusts equally matching his earlier ferocity. It felt so good you could scarcely see straight. Coming didn’t take you long; your back arching as your walls tightened around V’s pulsing cock. You moaned into the crook of your elbow, effectively muffling the sound. 

Finished, you reached down and pulled up your bottoms before getting back on your knees.You took V in your mouth again, earning a surprised gasp from the poet as you sucked him clean.You pulled up his pants and buckled them before grabbing V’s cane and book and handing them to him.You got back your feet, wiping your mouth as you grinned lazily.V’s eyes were wide, dazed from the experience. Sleep would easily find the both of you that night.


	14. Chapter 14

Your body felt heavy. Impossibly heavy.Your mouth was thick with the tang of blood, your breathing shallow and rattling. The pain you felt was insurmountable; every inch of you searing. You opened the swollen slits of your eyes to try to regain your bearings but your surroundings were dark and hazy.A few seconds passed before you realized you were hanging upside down, suspended by an unseen force.

“You are awake. Good.”

His voice was deep and grating and seemed to emanate from everywhere at once.

“Please...kill...me,”the sputtering voice that came out of your mouth wasn’t your own but still familiar.

“You know I will not do that,” his voice seemed to come from inside your very head, sharp and scraping,”I wish only to break your body again and again. Reshape it to my will. Then, I shall treat your mind.”

Three luminous, red eyes loomed in the distance and your body began to tremble, hot tears prickling in your battered eyes.  An involuntary scream tore through you body, the sound one of sheer agony. Primal.

And then you woke up, shaking violently anddrenched in your own sweat.You couldn’t move, couldn’t make a sound.All you could do is lay there as your heart hammered wildly in your chest, your pulse thundering in your ear.As the minutes ticked by you slowly regained yourself. Everything was dark and still save for the areas that were faintly illuminated by the two solar powered lanterns you had picked up from the outdoor supply store only a few days ago. You were still in the library on a couch and V slept on one of his own directly across from you.Griffon roosted on the back of the couch above his dark haired master.

You sat up slowly, nursing your head as you did. You had a splitting headache. You ventured a glance to your left. Roughly twenty feet away you could make out Jeffery sprawled out on a couch snoring quietly.A couple feet from him you could see two glowing red spots; the unblinking eyes of the tireless Shadow as it kept a watchful lookout for all of you.You bent over and quietly picked up your trusty bag, grimacing at the surge in pain the motion elicited.The lantern closest to you rested on a small table placed between the two couches.You reached over and grabbed that too.You needed to get out of your damp clothes and clean yourself up.

As you carefully stood and slipped on your shoes, Shadow’s alert eyes trained on you. You could practically hear the question they seemed to ask, ‘Where are you going?’ 

“Just need to use the restroom,” you answered in a hushed whisper knowing that the creature’s acute hearing would have no trouble picking up your words.Shadow blinked slowly in response, seemingly satisfied with your answer. With that settled, you were on your way.

*****************

You felt considerably better by the time you were finished.Not as good as you would have felt after having a long, warm shower but it felt good to be relatively clean and out of your sweaty clothes.Ultimately, you decided to discard your soiled outfit. Under normal circumstances (well, what constituted as normal nowadays) you would’ve washed it out but, there would simply be no time for it to lay out and dry. In the face of all your impending losses, this barely registered as an inconvenience.You stared blankly at your reflectionin the mirror in front of the sink. That dream you had didn’t feel like a dream at all. It felt real.  _Painfully_ real. Maybe you hadn’t been as lucky after the transference as you had surmised. You decided right then it was something you would keep to yourself. The last thing V needed was any thing else to worry about;any more guilt to carry with him.Suddenly, you heard a crash from within the library followed by the tell-tale sounds of battle.You hoisted your bag over your shoulder and grabbed the lantern and ran out the door, your heart in your throat all the while.

Although it was still pitch black, the action was hard to miss with Griffon’s lightning attacks periodically brightening the room; a beacon that foretold danger.You audibly gasped; one of the flashes revealed that the library was positively swarming with demons. 

“____!” V called out,his voice coarse with distress, “Griffon! Get ____ to safety!”

No sooner did V say these words did you feel Griffon’s talons close around the arm you had held out as you carried the lantern.

“Upsy-daisy!”

You soared upwards into the air, dangling from the familiar’s grasp like a rag doll.  Your stomach lurched with the action and you weren’t certain if you wanted to scream or laugh.  The sensation ended as abruptly as it began as Griffon dropped you atop one of the towering bookcases.

“Sorry, Toots!” he cawed before rejoining V and Shadow on the battlefield.

“Hey,”

You turned your head to see Jeffery sitting there as well, his hand held up in greeting, “Glad to see you are okay.”

You nodded. “Yeah, you too.”

Jeffery held his camera in his lap, securely attached to the strap around his neck. To the right of him you could just make out his shotgun.  You hated this.  You were so scared for V down there in the dark, open and vulnerable.  Although Griffon and Shadow would have little difficultly seeing in the darkness, V still had to be the one to deliver the finishing blow.  You sighed as looked at the dark markings on your arms. You wished that you could help but you knew you weren’t ready for something this big.

The battle continued in a disorientating collision of darkness and light. The fighting produced a cacophony of unpleasant sounds but occasionally Griffon or V’s voice was distinguishable from it all.You listened closely now, V’s voice ringing out as he recited a verse.

“‘The Angel that presided o'er my birth said, Little creature, form'd of Joy & Mirth, Go love without the help of any Thing on Earth.’”

You heard Griffon squawk out in pain and from within the dark you saw two glowing orbs. You gasped. Both Griffon and Shadow had been stalemated.  V gave you little time to worry. “Awaken!” he called out, and Nightmare materialized in the air, falling to the floor with a belly flop. Simultaneously, the dual orbs winked out, Shadow and Griffon fully restored.  The room once again flooded with flashes of light from Griffon and Nightmare’s attacks. A flying insect-like demon with a glowing green abdomen made its way from the fight and flitted over to you and Jeffery.  The journalist remained astonishingly calm as he picked up his shotgun and fired, blasting the demon into a meaty confetti.  You looked at Jeffery, impressed. He simply smiled and shrugged.

When you turned your attention back to the fight, you could hardly believe your eyes.Your visibility much improved thanks to the burgeoning daylight, you could now bear witness to the plethora of pale, dying demons scattered around the library.V made a gravity defying leap into the air, encircled by spectral copies of his cane.It was similar,you thought, to the move both Gilver and Nelo Angelo had used during their fight.With a wave of his arms, the mystical canes shot through the air at break neck speeds, each one homing in on a demon and piercing it.In the blink of an eye the demons vanished all at once, a grandiose conclusion to the lengthy battle.You were astounded.It never ceased to amaze you how damned  stylish  V could look even amidst battle. 

Jeffery lowered his camera.You were so transfixed by the happenings below you didn’t even notice he had started taking photos.Nightmare came stomping over, its mammoth weight causing tremors that rattled the very bookcase on which you sat.Jeffery raised his camera again, the shutter clicking as he photographed the giant.Nightmare stretched out a massive arm and picked up the reporter who let out a startled yelp. You snickered, grabbing Jeffery’s abandoned shotgun before you too were picked up by Nightmare, its hand enfolding you like a gargantuan catcher’s mitt. The current of its flowing skin was surprisingly warm and not wholly unpleasant.The lumbering cyclops sat both you and Jeffery on the floor and you managed a quick word of thanks before it melted away back into the pigment of V’s dark hair.You raced over to your lover and were greeted by him clutching you in a warm embrace.He pulled back and gave you a kiss, gentle and saccharine.

“When we were attacked and I woke up to find you gone I had... feared the worst. Fortunately, Shadow was kind enough to set me at ease.But tell me, are you all right? Were you harmed?”

“Not at all,” you assured the poet, “What about you? Are you okay? That... was really intense.”

“I... am quite all right although a bit drained to tell you the truth of it.”

You could only imagine. 

“But,” he continued, letting go of you and leaning on his cane,”the commotion surely will have caught the attentions of others. We must move on from here. Immediately.”

V didn’t have to say anything further; everyone was eager to leave the place that could’ve easily ended up your tomb.You were on the move the next minute, the early morning sun already warm on your face.You barely walked ten paces from the library’s threshold when V held out his cane, blocking both you and Jeffery from moving onwards.You watched V’s body visibly tense.

“ _Damn it!_ ”

It was the only time you’d ever heard him curse.  It didn’t take long to find out why.


	15. Chapter 15

Climbing up from the sharp over hang of the ruined road was a sizable creature resembling what you would best describe as a demonic squirrel.It stood about a head taller than V, its fur a gleaming white.A sharp, obsidian horn pierced out from its forehead in between six completely black eyes.Its front teeth jutted from its mouth and slightly curved inwards, tapering into fang-like points and it sported two pairs of deadly claws that looked primed for shredding.The squirrel’s “tail” was comprised of a mass of undulating, white snakes. Shadow arched its back, its face scrunching into a ferocious mask as it let out a threatening roar.

“Hey, I recognize this asshole!”  Griffon trilled as he landed on V’s shoulder, “Ratatoskar, the Qliphoth messenger. This guy makes it _his_ business  to know everyone _else's_ business , and then scurries up and down the Qliphoth, relaying that information to whoever he happens to serve at the time. There’s no rhyme or reason to it; he just likes intrigue and stirring the pot. Probably working as Urizen's _snitch_  at the moment!”

V leaned on his cane, gripping it so tightly his knuckles turned white. 

“Then we have no choice but to face him.  The less Urizen knows... the more _beneficial_ to  us all,” V turned to you then, desperation reflecting in his eyes,”You and Jeffery need to stand aside. If things begin to go south I  beg  of you: Run.”

Your stomach turned. A part of you wanted to contest what he was saying. You wanted to argue that just maybe you could do _something_ to  help.But the look on V’s face was haunting. He was afraid. Terrified. All you could manage was a stiff nod as you and Jeffery retreated off to the sidelines. You climbed on top of a bus that had fallen on its side, hopefully far enough away from the action but still close enough to accurately monitor the situation.

“Ratatoskar! Be reasonable here,” Griffon said nervously,”Your loyalties lie mainly with yourself, right? What would it take for you to just fuck off?”

Ratatoskar trained his eyes on Griffon, his gaze scrutinizing. “It is true,”the demon began, his voice airy and unnerving,”that my loyalty can be fickle. However, the reign  he  promises to usher in is simply  too  interesting of a prospect. I  am  curious as to how you know me when I can’t for the life of me place you. Though, you do bear  a passing resemblance to some old has been I briefly knew.”

Griffon muttered something incomprehensible.V sighed.

“Then you leave us no choice.”

The battle began with V making a motion with his hand.  A purple aura hummed around Griffon and Shadow, further empowering them.  It soon became clear to you that V had imbued his familiars with his own demonic power.  He pulled out his book and began to read as the demonic duo unleashed a merciless onslaught of attacks.  Shadow transformed into a giant whirling blade, effortlessly slicing into the squirrel’s flesh.  Griffon’s wings spread wide as he attacked the demon with a fusillade of lightning bolts. Ratatoskar shook the blows off and prepared to go on the offensive.  He jumped into the air, light and agile.  He twirled around, attacking with his viperous tail.  Ratatoskar was clever. Catching on all too quickly, he aimed his attack directly at V.  The snakes coiled back as they readied to strike.  V dodged with the aid of Shadow who formed under the conjuror’s feet in a shapeless mass that propelled V effortlessly to the side.  Not missing a beat, Ratatoskar turned back around and attacked V with its fearsome front claws, swinging them in a powerful downward blow.  V narrowly managed to dodge the strike, calling Griffon to lift him backwards into the air before setting him back down on the ground.  Shadow and Griffon resumed their attacks on the demon,  the battlefield rife with their stabbing lances and crackling electricity.  Ratatoskar leaned his weight on to his front legs in order to execute a pulverizing strike with his hind claws that sent Shadow into stalemate.  V kept his cool, once again he bestowed his demonic power to Griffon.  With Ratatoskar sufficiently distracted, V made a mad dash to the felled Shadow, hastily reviving his feline companion.  Shadow quickly jumped back into action, lashing away with the sharp spears of its body.

In an unexpected move, the demonic messenger flipped backwards and whipped his tail forwards sending the vipers hurtling in every direction, completely detached from his body. To your horror, a small group of them set a path straight for you and Jeffery.The journalist fumbled with his shotgun, managing to load the gun successfully before accidentally dropping his ammunition pouch, the rest of his ammo falling uselessly inside of the bus.You called forth Phantom.You couldn’t run away just yet.The second the spider gained form you had him fire away at the snakes, each ball of flame hitting its target with a plume of smoke and a loud sizzle.From beside you, you heard Jeffery fire his shotgun:  _Blam! Blam! Blam!_ That was all of the ammo he had on hand. You sure hoped he made those shots count.The smoke cleared to show that your immediate peril had ended. Nothing remained of the snakes but bits and pieces and dark smears upon the pavement.

Ratatoskar was  livid.  He threw back his head, a furious roar ripping from his throat.The ground around him shook as he gathered up his power, his body growing larger and more muscular by the second.The large horn on his head elongated and twisted, morphing into something resembling a drill. Ratatoskar tensed his body and flexed, the action tearing off his very skin, his pelt slopping wetly to the ground.He stood on all fours now, his bright red body a macabre vision of shining muscle and sinew, the rows of his teeth appearing like a deranged grin on his skeletal face.To top it off the smell was absolutely putrid.

V attempted once more to read from his beloved tome, but Ratatoskar wasn’t making it easy.He completely ignored Griffon and Shadow, their attacks doing little to slow the squirrel demon down, choosing instead to ruthlessly hunt down V in a flurry of attacks from his claws and horn. Alternating between Griffon and Shadow, it seemed all V could do is dodge.The poet swore loudly before summoning Nightmare with a snap of his fingers, his hair instantly stripped of its black pigment.Nightmare bounded onto the scene, its entrance lacking its usual flamboyance.You wondered,with a twinge, if it was because V was reaching his limit? V leapt up on the cyclops and rode on its back as it blasted away at Ratatoskar with its powerful beams.The demon squirrel set its sights on Griffon and Shadow, attacking them instead of the lumbering giant, an act that seemed almost subversive.Shadow went down, followed by Griffon.In what was possibly the worst timing ever, Nightmare faded away leaving V staggering on his cane, weakened and defenseless. A scream formed in your throat and died there as you watched helplessly as Ratatoskar charged at V with his drill-like horn, the impact sending your lover flying.V landed in an unconscious heap, his silver cane clamoring loudly as it disappeared over the street’s cliff.

You swallowed the bile that flooded your mouth. This was it.  _The_ worst case scenario.You looked over at Jeffery in a silent apology, his dark eyes were wide, his face sweaty and waxen.The chance to run had come and gone.You were all going to die.

No. 

Not without a fight.

You knew Phantom alone wouldn’t be enough.You looked over at the swirling orbs that were Griffon and Shadow.They would recover on their own with time. Time that you couldn’t afford.The gears in your head turned wildly.It was a long shot; but you had nothing else at this point. 

“Get him, Phantom!”

You clambered off the bus and ran with all the speed of a frightened gazelle as your trusty arachnid bombarded Ratatoskar with balls of flame.You nearly reached the downed familiars.You slid purposely, like a baseball player, in order to hasten your arrival. You scrapped your leg in the process but in the moment you hardly noticed; too focused on your task at hand.You outstretched your arms and concentrated on depositing your feeble energy to the pair, hoping against hope that it would have some effect.Your arms trembled with the effort, growing weak from energy loss.

Then there they were.You did it.

They looked every bit as shocked as you did but set immediately to work, knowing that there was no time to waste.You let yourself exhale only the tiniest breath of relief. The hardest part was yet to come.It was too soon to celebrate just yet. 

Ratatoskar was soon caught in a torrent of lightning, spikes, and flame; the dark familiars hitting the grotesque beast from every angle.His once agile movements were becoming slower, clumsier.It was working.Then, Griffon fell.Your heart sank. Shadow was downed soon after.You bit back a sob.And then: _Blam! Blam!_ _Blam!_ There was a short pause before three more successive shots rang out.Phantom let out one last burst of fire, engulfing the abomination in a blaze.The smoke cleared to reveal Ratatoskar, pale and writhing; dying but not dead. He needed to be finished with some sort of weapon.You looked over at Jeffery, feeling half crazy with fear.

“Jeffery! The shotgun! The demons can’t deliver killing blows!”

He swallowed, his body shaking.

“There’s... no more ammo left.”

All hope left you then.  This really was it.  V’s cane had fallen and landed god knows where.  The only one fast enough to retrieve it would be Griffon, who was in stalemate.  You didn’t have the energy to revive him again.  Bitter tears streaked your face.  It seemed as though your defeat was set in stone.  Despair settled in like a suffocating cloud.  Your soul screamed out:

I don’t want to die!!

Suddenly, Phantom was before you; as if in answer to your unvoiced plea he said, “Then do something about it, Girl!”His body floated upwards, swathed in dazzling, white light. Slowly his body changed, morphing into a golden battle axe, the handle slightly curved and decorated with intricate engravings, its pommel adorned with various jewels.The head of the axe blazed with energy, an orange dancing flame. It was heavy, uncomfortably so, but the burst of adrenaline you received made it easy for you to wield.You dashed towards the dying Ratatoskar, mind reeling. Would this even work? The axe  was  technically Phantom after all.It hardly mattered anymore.You reached the squirrel at last and hoisted the axe high before bringing it down upon his neck, its head hitting the ground with a meaty  thunk .Ratatoskar was gone, scattered to the wind like dust.

You sat slowly down on the ground, exhausted and delirious.The axe disappeared from your hold, the tattoos on your skin dark once again.You felt a familiar pair of arms surround you. It was V, on his knees, half embracing you half collapsing onto you.He kissed the top of your head.

“____... you did it.”His lips moved against your hair as he spoke.

“Somehow.” You replied, throat excruciatingly dry, “I have no idea what that even  was .”

You felt your lover smile.

“  _That_ , is what we’d refer to in chess as one hell of an en passant.” 

“What’s that? Some kind of illegal move?”

There was a brief pause before the two of you simply burst into a fit of laughter. 

You  did  it.You were alive.


	16. Chapter 16

It was a group effort getting you and V back inside the library.It was hardly ideal, returning back to the building which you had so recently narrowly escaped, but with the condition both you and V found yourselves in there was simply no alternative. Even if you could manage to move onwards, another battle so soon would assuredly spell death for you all.It was better to stay and risk another ambush than to stumble blindly into the unknown.The library was in shambles, signs of your recent struggle still fresh.The couches remained intact, however, and at the end of the day that was all your group really required. Aesthetics be damned. Two days came and passed. It was decided in the evening that, come morning, you had best be on your way. Neither you or V were operating at one hundred percent but it was agreed that to stay any longer would be tempting fate.

Your eyes fluttered open that fateful morning to the sounds of discussion. It took you a moment to register the speakers as V and Jeffery, their tones low and hushed in an attempt not to disturb you.You listened in but only caught the tail end of their conversation.

“You’ll... take care of it then? It won’t be a problem?” V’s voice rose and fell in his peculiar lilt that you had come to cherish. 

“Of course not!”Jeffery’s tone was soothing, “I owe you that much at least. Hell, I owe it to  her .”

V gave Jeffery a brief pat on the shoulder.

“Then I give you my thanks.”

“Don’t thank me just yet. She still has to agree.”

You sat up then, no longer able to just lay there and eavesdrop.Your stomach roiled as a sinking feeling settled in. 

“What are you two talking about?” You tried to sound casual, but the words came out sounding accusatory; pained. 

The men shared a glance, an unspoken agreement passing between them. 

“I’ll... give you two some space.” 

Jeffery tucked his notepad back into his bag and walked away, flashing you a sympathetic look as he did so.

“...V?” Your chin quivered.You knew what was coming.

“I know... that this is a bit sooner than we had planned but we are not far from the south end of town. Jeffery says that he parked his vehicle there and...” he trailed off, pausing to lock eyes with you before continuing,”I feel the time has come for us to part ways. I feel that you leaving with him will be the best option: for everyone.”

You choked back a sob and V took you in his arms, holding you in a crushing embrace. 

“Little Wren, you are _so_ strong ,” he pressed his lips to your forehead,”stronger, I suspect, than even you or I know.  But the foes that await within confines of the Qliphoth are most likely beyond even _my_ abilities . I don’t wish to leave this world knowing your blood stains my hands as well.”

You burrowed your face into his chest, taking in his scent; smoky and earthen. You knew he was right. If you stayed you would die; it was simple as that.  You couldn’t do that to him.

“Okay,”your voice was barely a whisper, “I’ll go.”

********************

The trek across town felt about as cheerful as a funeral march, the finality of your journey weighing heavily upon everyone.Demons came in intermediate waves. You and Phantom occasionally joined in on the fray, but your fighting was robotic, lackluster.Despite trying several times during the course of the past few days, you hadn’t been able to replicate whatever power that had allowed Phantom to transform into the axe that day.When you spoke to Phantom about it even he was mystified. For now it seemed, that strange ability would remain out of your reach; its secrets locked away inside you.

It was nearly sunset when you reached where you would spend your final night in Red Grave City, the Il Chiaro Mondo Hotel. V scaled the building, clearing it of the demons that dwelled within.In the near future, demons would surely inhabit the ramshackled hotel once more, but for now at least, it was clear.

You climbed up a short set of steps and into the ruined lobby, pausing to take stock of your surroundings.Massive roots of the Qliphoth snaked through the building now a vital part of its structure, effectively blocking off large portions of the hotel.Husks of former patrons occupied the room, their final moments preserved in a morbid death mask.Their luggage lay scattered across the room never to be used again.You supposed some of the guests were likely from out of town but they’d never reach home, forced to become permanent residents of Red Grave.An impressive chandelier hung from the high ceiling still in perfect condition. It filled the room with a soft yellow light, swaying slightly as if in a garish defiance of all the destruction surrounding it.

Jeffery took out his camera, speaking from behind the lens as he captured a series of images.

“You know, I always wanted to stay at a five star hotel.  Not quite what I’d hoped.”

Griffon gave a short crow of laughter.

“Heard the room service here is  _terrible._ A murder, you might say.”

“Oh? Then I guess I should consider myself lucky if I don’t receive any tonight.”

“Let’s just say if you get a knock on your door later, it’s probably  not  someone trying to give ya a complimentary bottle of champagne.”

Jeffery lowered his camera and turned towards the bird before giving him a shrug.

“No matter, more of a scotch man myself.”

You found yourself tittering at the duo’s display of gallows humor in spite of yourself.  Even V looked on at the pair with an expression of mild amusement.  Phantom groaned, unimpressed.

“Is this what I have to look forward to for the night?”

Sleeping arrangements had been decided with almost no discussion.You and V would be sharing a room alone tonight while the familiars accompanied Jeffery.You found yourself grateful that nobody decided to tease you about the implications.

Griffon answered with a boisterous laugh, “You know it, Leggy!”

“Uggggggh.”

******************

You settled on a pair of interior rooms on the middle floor of the hotel.The windowless rooms were modest in both size and presentation with little in the way of furnishings; reserved more for business trips rather than holidays. The rooms each contained a single king sized bed made up neatly in teal and white bedding.Bedside tables graced either side of the bed, topped with small shaded lamps.On the opposite wall, a decent sized flat screen television uselessly transmitted a test pattern; a patent leather couch sat immediately to the left of it.Along the back wall, a chest of drawersrested with a small round table and chairs arranged to the right.A lump formed in your throat.Your final night with V.Under the circumstances, you couldn’t ask for a more perfect place to spend it in.

Jeffery stretched a bit as he looked inside his room.

“This will be a perfect opportunity to get some writing done!”

“Nuh-uh! Don’t think so, pal!” Griffon squalled, “If we’re spending the night holed up with you, we gotta do  _somethin_ ’ to entertain ourselves!Can’t expect us to just sit there like bumps on a log while you write!”

“Ah, shit—you’re right. Well, I have some playing cards?” Jeffery offered lamely.

“Lemme get this straight: when you were packing your bag to race headlong into the apocalypse, you came across a deck of cards and thought, ‘Huh, better take these along!’” Griffon’s body rocked with laughter, “You know what? That’s fine.Whatever!I have no idea how the hell this is going to work, but we’ll work out a system. This’ll be fun!”

Jeffery blinked a couple of times in rapid succession, shaking his head.  He turned to you and V.

“Well, I’m gonna head in.Good night you guys.”

You both wished him a good night, and he entered his room, Shadow and Phantom slinking in behind him. Griffon hung back for a moment, landing on V’s shoulder.

“Just wanted to say goodnight,” he began, yellow eyes full of mischief, “You crazy kids have fun, but not  _too_ much fun. We gotta share a wall with you after all.” 

V narrowed his eyes, giving Griffon’s beak a playful flick.

“Good  _night_ , Griffon.”

The bird gave a jokingly offended huff before joining the others in the room, door shutting behind him with a soft click.

V took his cane in hand, considering you with an easy expression.

“Shall we?”

You nodded, heart flooding with warmth at the familiar phrase.

“Let’s.”

*******************

The first thing you did was check out the bathroom.You opened the frosted glass door leading to it and you were shocked. It looked pristine. Fluffy white towels hung neatly on a rack. An enormous bathtub lined the wall stocked with wash cloths and tiny bottles of toiletries, just waiting to be used.You hurried over to the tub and turned on the facet and to your pleasure water came gushing out.Your joy was sort lived,however, upon the realization that the hot water didn’t work.

“Taking a bath?” V’s voice came from behind you. You turned to find him leaning in the doorway.

You turned off the water with a slight frown.

“Afraid not.The hot water doesn’t work.” 

“Is that so?” V answered with a hum, “In that case maybe we should get in together. I’m sure we could find...ways... of keeping each other warm.”

Your cheeks grew warm as you flashed him a shy smile.

“Okay.”

******************

You stood there for a while, opting to let the tub fill up before getting in.Filled to your liking, you shut off the water and you and your lover stripped down to nothing.You hesitated before tentatively lowering your foot into the frigid water. You jerked it back on reflex.

“It’s freezing!”

The poet cocked a brow at you.  He tossed his hair as he proceeded to step in the tub and lower himself into the water. He took a breath before submerging himself, his black hair flowing like spilled ink.  After a few seconds he resurfaced, combing his wet locks away from his face.

“Care to join me?”

You inwardly cursed the fact that he was so sexy before you finally relented and sat in the tub facing the conjuror, teeth rattling noisily. 

“Your body will adjust to the temperature much faster if you just take the plunge, as I did.”

You sighed as you pinched your nose, making a show of holding your breath before going under, the water lapping you in its icy embrace.  You forced yourself to stay  there for a few seconds before sitting back up.  You felt a bit more comfortable as you brushed your damp hair back, an action that placed your breasts with their hardened nipples on full display.  V stared openly.  You smiled and splashed at him.

“My eyes are up here, sir!”

“So they are,” he smirked, his voice as smooth as satin, “Are you still cold?”

“A little.”

He spread his arms invitingly.

“Please... come over here, then.”

You made your way over and settled between his legs, your back flush against his chest.  He placed his hands on your arms, rubbing them.

“Better?”

You laughed, “Much.”

V leaned over and grabbed the shampoo from the side of the tub. He squirted some into the palm of his hand before working it into your wet tresses.  He massaged your scalp in tiny circles and you closed your eyes involuntarily from pleasure.

“That feels nice.”

“I had rather hoped that it would.”

After a few minutes, he was finished, your hair thick with soapy foam.  You sunk beneath the water, rinsing your hair.

At your insistence you and V had switched places.  The summoner slunk down in the water, propping himself up on his elbows in order to give you easier access.  You lathered the shampoo into his raven locks with care, earning you a contented sigh from the man.  You beamed, probably enjoying the action just as much as V himself.  You simply adored his hair and secretly lamented the fact there hadn’t been more opportunities to touch it.  And there never would be again. V’s voice snapped you away from your thoughts.

“That man,” he started, referring to his alter ego,”happens to own a residence not _too_ terribly  far from here. Before he left for the final time, he placed a glyph... a ward of preservation upon the house; locking it. Protecting it. A rare act of sentimentality on his part. It’s been decades since last the house was manned but... I feel certain that the ward has held up.  _____, I am offering that home to you.  The ward should be easy to dispel with Phantom’s power. You can stay as long as you want, forever if you wish.  That man was self-reliant to a fault, the house would be in possession of all you would need: water, electricity... money.  It’s in a safe but with Phantom—“

“V, V hold on a minute.  You’re giving me a _house_? _Money_? I couldn’t possibly accept all that!” You gaped at him, astounded.  You couldn’t believe what you were hearing.

“It would afford me...peace...to know that you are taken care of.”

“What about your family? Wouldn’t you rather Dante—“

“ _Dante_ would  have my home reduced to a shanty,  waste all my money on pizza, ice cream, and designer coats, _and_ wind up back  in debt all in the course of a month.”

“Okay, not Dante then, but isn’t there somebody else?”

“There is... no one else, Little Wren,” he tilted his head back and looked up at you, his green eyes soulful, “I have already asked Jeffery to take you there tomorrow but if you are really that uncomfortable with the offer, I won’t force the issue.I don’t wish to distress you further.Just know that that house is there, and there is no expiration on my offer.It will be there, if or when you choose to stay there.”

A tear streaked down your cheek.You knew what he was doing.This was his way of obtaining closure with you.Ending the chapter.You leaned over and placed a kiss, feather light, upon the pink swell of his lips.

“I’ll stay, V.I’ll stay.”

*********************

You finished your bathing in relative silence and got out of the tub; the cold, murky water devoid of its earlier charm.V was the first to get out.He grabbed two towels before extending his hand to you, ever the gentleman. You grabbed it, thanking him, as you stepped out of the bathtub, water swirling down the drain with a gurgle.V draped a towel around your shoulders, a loving display of affection that sent your heart a flutter.You watched, mesmerized, as your beau dried himself off, the fibers of the towel wicking away the moisture from his svelte body.He went to work on his hair last, gently patting his strands dry, the white of the towel in striking contrast against the blackened hue.He looked casually up at the ceiling for few moments, oblivious to your admiration, before he locked eyes with you, at last noticing your gaze.

“You should at least dry your hair, Little Wren,” he said, a knowing smile tugging at his lips,”I wouldn’t want you to catch a cold.” 

He took his towel and began drying your hair himself.You couldn’t tear your eyes away from him, silent and spellbound, your heart thumping like a caged bird in your chest. Standing there in that room you could almost fool yourself into believing that this was just an average night, that you were just an ordinary couple. But it wasn’t. And you weren’t.You found yourself overwhelmed with desire for the man.A desperate need to be one with him.You let your towel fall to the ground. 

You looked up at him, your eyes so open and expressive it was as though your were baring your entire soul to him in a single look.

“V...”

He stopped, slowly removing the towel from your head before dropping it to the tiled floor.

“‘He who binds to himself a joy

Does the winged life destroy.

He  who kisses the joy as it flies 

Lives in eternity's sunrise.’”

He touched you then, his fingertips ghosting over your body delicately, handling you like you were something fragile; precious. You shivered, gooseflesh prickling your skin. He rested one hand on your shoulder as he leaned forward slightly, nuzzling your face, his breath hot and airy.  He moved his slender fingers along the inside of your thigh, trailing them upwards to explore your growing wetness.  His lips brushed against your cheeks, your lips; his kisses short and tormentingly sensual.

“So wet for me already,” he breathed, slipping another digit inside you, “you seem to have a... similar... effect on me.”

You swept your eyes downwards; he didn’t exaggerate.He stood at attention, firm and erect. Ready.You gave him a kiss before reaching down to gently grab his hand and lead him to the bed. 

You pushed the dark haired poet slowly against the mattress and straddled him, not quite ready to let him enter just yet.You bent forwards and kissed him, slowly, purposefully.You knew in the moment you would never get your fill.You broke the kiss, lips dotting along his jawline and down the slope of his sublime neck. You lingered there, enjoying the noises your mouth elicited from your lover.You pulled back, tracing your fingers along the ashen Rorschach of his body.You took him all in, painting a mental portrait that would need to last you a lifetime.He raised his head and looked at you with adoring eyes and bated breath.

You lowered yourself upon him then, moaning softly as you stretched to accommodate his size. V reached for you, hands caressing the curves of your waist as you slowly moved up and down the entirety of his member.You moved at a steady pace, breasts bouncing with the effort.V could scarcely take his eyes off you.He tightened his hold on your waist, breathy moans escaping his parted lips all the while.With some effort, he moved into a sitting position, never once letting himself slide out of you.You gasped, wrapping your arms around his neck for balance. His arm snaked around you, his hand finding purchase in your hair.His right hand gripped your bottom and he rocked his hips, filling you with powerful upward thrusts. Your lips and tongue collided with his, stifling the series of moans that came from you; his motions hitting that magic spot.Your orgasm came almost without warning, your wetness coating V’s groin as you tossed your head back.V held you tightly with his right arm as he continued thrusting into you.Gently, he pushed your head forwards and pressed your forehead to his.Tears burned in your eyes.You felt his body tense as he came, softly groaning at his release. He kissed you before he lay back on the bed, spent.You slipped off of him carefully before taking your place beside him.He rolled over to his side and clutched you to his chest, his fingers outlining the faded webbing of your tattoos.You snuggled against him, an entanglement of limbs, cherishing the time you had left.You didn’t want to sleep that night. You  wouldn’t. 

Sleep found you that night anyway. 


	17. Chapter 17

* * *

You awoke the next morning acutely aware of the lack of V’s warmth.For a fraction of a second you froze, stricken with panic at the thought that maybe he had left without saying goodbye. Your fears quelled when you saw him sitting, fully dressed, on the leather couch across from you. 

“Morning, _______.”

“Morning, V.”

The exclusion of “good” was intentional.

Mechanically, you went through your morning routine.Rejoining V in the bedroom, the two of you held hands meeting Jeffery and the familiars in the hallway.Griffon greeted you cheerfully, landing on V’s shoulder with a upbeat trill.

“Mornin’, V! ____!Heck of a night we had!Played poker! Shadow came away the big winner of the night, Jeffery got obliterated, go ahead tell ‘em what you lost to ol’ Shadow here!”

Jeffery cleared his throat nervously.

“My soul.”

Shadow’s ears folded as it growled in annoyance.

“‘Don’t want it.’ Well, guess you’re off the hook there, Jeff!” Griffon chuckled, “Guess I don’t really have to ask how _your_ night  went.”

On any other day, you would have been embarrassed. Not today.

“Yeah, it’s pretty obvious. Although , I guess I’m a homeowner now,” you said this mainly to indirectly answer the question you knew must be weighing on Jeffery’s mind.He caught your eye and nodded, your meaning clear to him.

“Oh? Well,congrats, _____!” Griffon laughed, “Shame I can’t make it to the house warming party. Eh, you know how it is!”

“Ugggh!” Phantom groaned, “ A shame _you_ didn't  lose your  ability of _speech_ to  Shadow last night!

Griffon gave an indignant hoot before clamming up.You loved the bird and what he was attempting to do but... Silently you were grateful to your spider.

***************

You walked for a time in silence never once letting go of V’s hand.Upon reaching a street crowded with husks, Jeffery informed you that his car wasn’t far.Jeffery pulled out his camera and began to take photos of the morbid scene, each husk posed in a mockery of life.He made a point of photographing the remains of a child in particular, their small hand still holding onto a floating red balloon. 

“I didn’t get the chance to take photos here earlier,” he explained, “it was crawling with demons.”

You had honestly wished that were still the case. It would be a welcome delay.It was all ending too fast. 

Your wish would remain forever unanswered as you finally made it to Jeffery’s vehicle—a black SUV that looked no worse for wear.He dug out his keys and unlocked it with the press of a button.Griffon landed on Jeffery’s shoulder, the man slightly buckling under the unexpected weight there.

“Well, Jeffie! It’s been real! I still think you’re a total nut, but I’m happy to see you walk away in one piece. Hope ya got my good side with all those pictures you took!”

“But Griffon, every side is your good side!”

“Heh heh! Good answer, pal!”

Jeffery gave the demon a cautious pat.

“Thanks, Griffon.  You too, Shadow.”

Shadow slowly closed its eyes in acknowledgement. Griffon took flight, perching on top of V once more.

Jeffery outstretched a hand to V, the poet let go of yours to grab it and they shook hands.

“Thank you, V.I owe you a lot, man.”

“Not at all.  You have my sincerest gratitude. Be well, Jeffery.”

“Good Luck.”

The journalist turned to you then, his brown eyes sad.

“I’ll... just be waiting in the car.”

You nodded and he walked off and sat in the SUV, the engine starting with a quiet hum.

Griffon looked at you, his amber eyes lacking their usual humor.  He flew over and stood on your shoulder now.

“_____, I can’t say that I’m one for mushy goodbyes but, I’m really gonna miss you. I mean that.I think I liked ya from the moment you told me you tried to beat one of those roots with a tennis racket,”he chuckled softly at the memory, “I’m glad we met, Girlie.”

“Thank you for finding me, Griffon. You’re the reason I even made it out of that apartment.Thank you for everything you’ve done up until now and will do after I’m gone.I will never forget you,” you paused blinking back tears, “And Griffon? I lied before, you _top_ my Favorite Demon Bird List.”

“Tell me something I don’t know, sister!” he trilled, giving you an affectionate nuzzle. 

“And you!” Griffon started, addressing Phantom with a brassy tone, “All I have to say to you is that I can’t believe outta all of us it’s _you_ who  gets to walk away from this! Bastard!”

“Merely survival of the fittest.  Nothing personal.”

“Heh! All I know is that you better keep _____ safe!”

“Bah! I don’t take orders from you! But... I will.”

Griffon turned to you once more.

“Goodbye,_____.”

“Goodbye, Griffon.”

The avian demon turned into a cloud of dark shards, resuming his spot amongst V’s brandings.  You felt Shadow’s weight rub against your legs, a deep purr resonating from its body.  You reached down and pet the big cat, its shiny black coat glossy beneath your fingers.

“Goodbye,Shadow.Thank you for everything. I know you’ll keep V safe ,” you kept your parting words to the panther short and sweet; just the way they liked it.

“Don’t I get a goodbye?” Phantom bellowed to the feline. Shadow simply narrowed its eyes and was gone. 

“Well then!”Phantom huffed, and set his eight eyes upon V, “Looks like this is farewell. I feel... a certain amount of regret so to speak about how I acted towards you.”

“If that is the case, you already know how to make up for it.”

“I know, I know.Spare me the sentimentality!”

With that, Phantom returned to you, leaving you alone with your beloved.

You stood there for a moment just facing each other in silence, letting your eyes do all the talking.  V brushed your face with the back of his hand, looking deeply into your eyes.

“‘The very instant that I saw you

Did my heart fly to your service.’”

Your eyes widened in recognition.That wasn’t William Blake he was quoting. That was—

“Shakespeare.” Tears tolled down your cheeks as you grinned.

His answering smile told you that you were correct, fondness dancing within those green eyes you loved so much.

“Thank you so much,_____. For all that you have endured...all that you have done for my sake.I know without a doubt that you are the reason I am still standing here. It has been so long since that man... since  _I_ have cared about anyone but myself and I _know_ with absolute certainty that I have never felt this way about anyone, not even in the life before my creation.I have hesitated to say this, partially because I was... uncertain... of what I felt but more because I didn’t wish to cause you even more anguish. I find myself torn once more but... I can’t seem to help myself when it comes to you,” he grabbed your hand and held it to his chest, his heartbeat like a war drum against your palm, “‘If a thing loves, it is infinite.’ ____, my Little Wren, I love you.”

Never had you heard such bittersweet words. You fought back a sob knowing that if you really let yourself start crying now, you wouldn’t be able to stop.You didn’t want that to be how V remembered you. Be sad later.

“I love you too, V.” 

It had happened so quickly, so quietly, you weren’t even sure when you had started loving him.  But you did.  Although your connection was indeed brief, the bond forged from your shared experiences—good and bad—was ironclad.  You held his hand to your heart now.

“V, you saved me, in more ways than one. I am eternally grateful to you. I will carry you with me always.” You spoke the powerful phrase one more time, “I love you.”

You embraced one final time.You basked in his warmth, his scent and the feeling of his toned arms around you.In that moment, you thought you’d never feel so secure, so _loved_ ever  again.He kissed you, so tender in his affections it made your heart ache all the more.This was the end. The proverbial sand had run out of the hourglass. It was time for you to go. 

V walked you over to the car, once again hand in hand. He opened the door and you got in, the interior wintry cold from the A/C.V fastened your seatbelt, not once letting go of your hand. You stared into each other’s eyes one last time. 

“Farewell,_______.”

“Goodbye, V.”

He squeezed your hand and you gave it an answering press.  He let go of your hand and shut the door, taking several paces back before leaning on his cane.  His eyes never left yours.  Wordlessly, Jeffery put the SUV in drive and stepped on the gas.  V stood there, still as a statue as he watched you drive away. You twisted in your seat to watch out the back window as the distance between you grew farther and farther, V appearing smaller and smaller with each passing second. Soon he appeared as but a dot on the horizon. Then he disappeared from view entirely. Gone.

Gone.

*********************

You weren’t sure how long you drove.You didn’t care, too concentrated on keeping your heart a stone; not wanting to fall to pieces in front of the journalist.Jeffery was a perfect travel companion in every regard; he kept conversation light, not minding your brief responses in the least, happy to carry the majority of the discussion.He spoke just enough, never letting the silence drag on for too long. Most importantly he didn’t ask any personal questions or bring up V and the others.He only stopped once, reluctantly, to use the restroom. 

The influence of the Qliphoth reached further than you imagined; reports on the radio stated that demon sightings were now commonplace. Everywhere.Thankfully, only the cities closest to Red Grave were in any real danger and had long since been evacuated. 

The sun was nearly setting by the time you finally reached the house just on the edge of a town called Aporia. It was a modestly sized country house with arched shuttered windows. White marble columns framed an ornate wooden double door.Ivy climbed the slate gray stone walls, adding to the house’s charm.The grounds looked perfectly manicured, leading you to believe the preservation ward was still intact. All as V had promised. 

Jeffery insisted on walking you to the door and you were too tired to protest.It didn’t take you long to locate the the origin of the ward, the glyph burned into the marble of the right column. You summoned Phantom and he scoffed.

“Too easy!”

He touched a long foreleg to the rune, absorbing its magic into his body.You blinked. That wasn’t what you had pictured when V told you Phantom could lift the ward.

“How did you do that?” 

“That magic and I originate from the same source,” he said simply, moving his long legs in a shrug.

You tried the door to the right, turning the shiny brass handle. It opened with no protest.You were in the clear.You turned to Jeffery ready to say your goodbyes. 

“Well, thank you Jeffery.For everything.”

He waved a hand dismissively.

“It’s nothing at all. A drop in the bucket compared to what you’ve done for me.”

“You were really brave back then, Jeffery.  During the fight with Ratatoskar. We’d all be dead if you hadn’t intervened with your shotgun.  I can’t believe you managed to get those shells from out of the bus!”

Jeffery laughed as he rubbed the stubble prickling his cheeks, suddenly bashful.

“That was just me rectifying my dumb mistake in the first place, but... thanks.You were brave too. It was unreal.”

You shrugged.

“It was a team effort.”

“Oh, before I forget,” the blond dug into his wallet and handed you a business card, “if you need anything, give me a ring.Anytime at all—I’ll answer.” 

You couldn’t help smiling at the kind gesture.

“Thank you.”

The journalist took a few steps back, readying to return to his vehicle. 

“I’ll be back to check on you. In about a week.  Maybe a week and a half. Tops. Got some work to do—some things to arrange. You better answer your door!”

You nodded.

“I will.”

“Take care,” he said warmly, “and you too, Phantom.”

“Later, Jeffery. Be safe,” you honestly wished the man well. Phantom simply grunted. Jeffery gave a short wave before getting in his car and driving off. When he was out of sight you recalled Phantom apologetically.You needed to be alone.

You walked inside the house, its interior dark. The furnishings were shrouded in heavy white cloth making the house appear to be filled with ghosts—haunted. You wandered aimlessly for a time, seeing but not really taking anything in.In the distance a door stood ajar, catching your interest.You walked in, greeted by more ghosts. The small room appeared to be some kind of study.An oaken bookcase lined the wall, packed with pristine books of all size and subject. A book on a middle shelf caught your eye.An oddity amidst the perfection, this book looked slightly weathered.You pulled it from the shelf to discover its worn condition was not from abuse. Quite the opposite, in fact.The book was in this state from avid use. Well loved; likely the owner’s favorite. Your heart beat with a wild cadence. You opened the cover.The title page professed it to be a William Blake anthology.Your hands trembled as you checked the inner cover.A single name was inscribed there, the cursive scrawled in a childish hand.

Vergil.

You closed the book and clutched it to your chest. You sank to your knees, your body wracked with heavy sobs.

Later had finally come.

*****************

V walked along the ruined streets of Red Grave, his dark familiars close by his side.Griffon flew up to his master, flapping his wings to match the man’s pace.

“V, buddy, you haven’t said a word in hours! You’re startin’ to worry me here! You gonna be okay?”

V touched a finger to his lips, considering his words wisely.

“I... will recover.Things worked out as favorably as they possibly could have, after all . Time now to return to the task at hand.”

“Geez, that’s one way of looking at it...”

“I’m _afraid_ this  discussion is over.”The poet gestured behind the bird with his silver cane at demons that steadily flooded the area.

Griffon did a sharp turn, flying headlong into the crowd of demons Shadow had already started fighting. He released a barrage of lightning.

“Barbecue time!”

As always, V stood apart from the action; orchestrating his familiars when necessary.He pulled out his book from his jacket and began to read, his voice so soft it was nearly drowned out by the sounds of the battle before him.

“‘I went to the Garden of Love, 

And saw what I never had seen: A 

Chapel was built in the midst,

Where I used to play on the green. 

And the gates of this Chapel were shut, 

And Thou shalt not. writ over the door; 

So I turn'd to the Garden of Love, 

That so many sweet flowers bore. 

And I saw it was filled with graves, 

And tomb-stones where flowers should be: 

And Priests in black gowns, were walking their rounds, 

And binding with briars, my joys & desires.’”

Tears cascaded from his eyes; warm on his pale cheeks.He touched a hand there and smiled at the wetness: her final gift.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would just like to take a moment to thank you so, so much for reading, regardless of your final thoughts. I feel personally unsatisfied with the end result of my work and I know without a doubt I have a *lot* of things I need on work on with my writing. I also learned I despise writing on mobile. lol


End file.
